Signatures of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>α</mml:mi></mml:math>-clustering in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mmultiscripts><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">O</mml:mi><mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/><mml:mn>16</mml:mn></mml:mmultiscripts></mml:math> by using a multiphase transport model
Yi-An Li, Song Zhang, Y. G.
Abstract
$\ensuremath{\alpha}$-clustered structures in light nuclei could be studied through ``snapshots'' taken by relativistic heavy-ion collisions. A multiphase transport model is employed to simulate the initial structure of collision nuclei and the proceeding collisions at center of mass energy $\sqrt{{s}_{NN}}=6.37$ TeV. This initial structure can finally be reflected in the subsequent observations, such as elliptic flow (${v}_{2}$), triangular flow (${v}_{3}$), and quadrangular flow (${v}_{4}$). Three sets of the collision systems are chosen to illustrate that the system scan is a good way to identify the exotic $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-clustered nuclear structure: case I, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ nucleus (with or without $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-cluster) $+$ ordinary nuclei (always in Woods-Saxon distribution) in most central collisions; case II, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ nucleus (with or without $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-cluster) $+$ $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ nucleus collisions for centrality dependence; and case III, symmetric collision systems [namely, $^{10}\mathrm{B}$ $+$ $^{10}\mathrm{B}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ $+$ $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ $+$ $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ (with or without $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-cluster), $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ $+$ $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$, and $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}$ $+$ $^{40}\mathrm{Ca}]$ in most central collisions. Our calculations propose that relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments at $\sqrt{{s}_{NN}}=6.37$ TeV are promised to distinguish the tetrahedral structure of $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ from the Woods-Saxon one and shed light on the system scan projects in experiments.