2014/01/09 by K. Hagel, J. B. Natowitz, G. Röpke · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #nucl-ex #nucl-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1140/epja/i2014-14039-4
16 pages, 10 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0908.2344
arxiv created 2014/01/09 · arxiv updated 2015/06/18
The symmetry energy of nuclear matter is a fundamental ingredient in the investigation of exotic nuclei, heavy-ion collisions and astrophysical phenomena. A recently developed quantum statistical (QS) approach that takes the formation of clusters into account predicts low density symmetry energies far above the usually quoted mean field limits. A consistent description of the symmetry energy has been developed that joins the correct low-density limit with values calculated from quasi-particle approaches valid near the saturation density. The results are confronted with experimental values for free symmetry energies and internal symmetry energies, determined at sub-saturation densities and temperatures below 10 MeV using data from heavy-ion collisions. There is very good agreement between the experimental symmetry energy values and those calculated in the QS approach