The atomic nucleus is composed of two different kinds of fermions: protons and neutrons. If the protons and neutrons did not interact, the Pauli exclusion principle would force the majority of fermions (usually neutrons) to have a higher average momentum. Our high-energy electron-scattering measurements using C-12, Al-27, Fe-56, and Pb-208 targets show that even in heavy, neutron-rich nuclei, short-range interactions between the fermions form correlated high-momentum neutron-proton pairs. Thus, in neutron-rich nuclei, protons have a greater probability than neutrons to have momentum greater than the Fermi momentum. This finding has implications ranging from nuclear few-body systems to neutron stars and may also be observable experimentally in two-spin-state, ultracold atomic gas systems.

Hen, O., Sargsian, M., Weinstein, L., Piasetzky, E., Hakobyan, H., Higinbotham, D., et al. (2014). Momentum sharing in imbalanced Fermi systems. SCIENCE, 346(6209), 614-617 [10.1126/science.1256785].

Momentum sharing in imbalanced Fermi systems

D'ANGELO, ANNALISA;
2014-01-01

Abstract

The atomic nucleus is composed of two different kinds of fermions: protons and neutrons. If the protons and neutrons did not interact, the Pauli exclusion principle would force the majority of fermions (usually neutrons) to have a higher average momentum. Our high-energy electron-scattering measurements using C-12, Al-27, Fe-56, and Pb-208 targets show that even in heavy, neutron-rich nuclei, short-range interactions between the fermions form correlated high-momentum neutron-proton pairs. Thus, in neutron-rich nuclei, protons have a greater probability than neutrons to have momentum greater than the Fermi momentum. This finding has implications ranging from nuclear few-body systems to neutron stars and may also be observable experimentally in two-spin-state, ultracold atomic gas systems.
2014
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Settore FIS/04 - FISICA NUCLEARE E SUBNUCLEARE
English
Con Impact Factor ISI
CLAS Collaboration
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/346/6209/614
Hen, O., Sargsian, M., Weinstein, L., Piasetzky, E., Hakobyan, H., Higinbotham, D., et al. (2014). Momentum sharing in imbalanced Fermi systems. SCIENCE, 346(6209), 614-617 [10.1126/science.1256785].
Hen, O; Sargsian, M; Weinstein, L; Piasetzky, E; Hakobyan, H; Higinbotham, D; Braverman, M; Brooks, W; Gilad, S; Adhikari, K; Arrington, J; Asryan, G;...espandi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/111369
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