Laboratory observation of electron energy distribution near three-dimensional magnetic nulls

The acceleration of electrons near three-dimensional(3D)magnetic nulls is crucial to the energy conversion mechanism in the 3D magnetic reconnection process.To explore electron acceleration in a 3D magnetic null topology,we constructed a pair of 3D magnetic nulls in the PKU Plasma Test(PPT)device and observed acceleration of electrons near magnetic nulls.This study measured the plasma floating potential and ion density profiles around the 3D magnetic null.The potential wells near nulls may be related to the energy variations of electrons,so we measured the electron distribution functions(EDFs)at different spatial positions.The axial variation of EDF shows that the electrons deviate from the Maxwell distribution near magnetic nulls.With scanning probes that can directionally measure and theoretically analyze based on curve fitting,the variations of EDFs are linked to the changes of plasma potential under 3D magnetic null topology.The kinetic energy of electrons accelerated by the electric field is 6 eV(v_(e)~7v_(Alfvén-e))and the scale of the region where accelerating electrons exist is in the order of serval electron skin depths.

High-energy nuclear physics meets machine learning

Although seemingly disparate,high-energy nuclear physics(HENP)and machine learning(ML)have begun to merge in the last few years,yielding interesting results.It is worthy to raise the profile of utilizing this novel mindset from ML in HENP,to help interested readers see the breadth of activities around this intersection.The aim of this mini-review is to inform the community of the current status and present an overview of the application of ML to HENP.From different aspects and using examples,we examine how scientific questions involving HENP can be answered using ML.

Photonuclear production of nuclear isomers using bremsstrahlung induced by laser-wakefield electrons

In this study,we theoretically investigate the feasibility of using laser-wakefield accelerated(LWFA)electrons for the photonuclear measurement of nuclear isomers according to the characteristics of the electrons obtained from LWFA experiments conducted at the Compact Laser-Plasma Accelerator(CLAPA)laboratory.The experiments at the CLAPA show that a stable electron beam with an energy of 78-135 MeV and a charge of 300-600 pC can be obtained.The bremsstrahlung spectra were simulated using Geant4,which suggests that a bremsstrahlung source with a peak intensity of 10^(19) photons/s can be generated.Theoretical calculations of isomer production cross sections from the photonuclear reactions on six target nuclei,^(197)Au,^(180)Hf,^(159)Tb,^(115)In,^(103)Rh,and ^(90)Zr,were performed and compared with the available experimental data in EXFOR,which suggest that further experiments are required for a series of photonuclear reaction channels.Flux-averaged cross sections and isomer ratios(IR)resulting from such bremsstrahlung sources are theoretically deduced.The results suggest that IR measurements can be used to constrain nuclear components,such asγstrength function and optical model potential.In addition,the detection of the decay characteristics was evaluated with Geant4 simulations.The use of the LWFA electron beam and its bremsstrahlung for photonuclear studies involving nuclear isomers is anticipated.

Predictions of nuclear charge radii based on the convolutional neural network

In this study, we developed a neural network that incorporates a fully connected layer with a convolutional layer to predict the nuclear charge radii based on the relationships between four local nuclear charge radii. The convolutional neural network(CNN) combines the isospin and pairing effects to describe the charge radii of nuclei with A ≥ 39 and Z ≥ 20. The developed neural network achieved a root mean square(RMS) deviation of 0.0195 fm for a dataset with 928 nuclei. Specifically, the CNN reproduced the trend of the inverted parabolic behavior and odd–even staggering observed in the calcium isotopic chain, demonstrating reliable predictive capability.

Digital signal acquisition system for complex nuclear reaction experiments

A digital data-acquisition system based on XIA LLC products was used in a complex nuclear reaction experiment using radioactive ion beams.A flexible trigger system based on a field-programmable gate array(FPGA)parametrization was developed to adapt to different experimental sizes.A user-friendly interface was implemented,which allows converting script language expressions into FPGA internal control parameters.The proposed digital system can be combined with a conventional analog data acquisition system to provide more flexibility.The performance of the combined system was veri-fied using experimental data.

Reconstruction of poloidal magnetic field profiles in field-reversed configurations with machine learning in laser-driven ion-beam trace probe

The diagnostic of poloidal magnetic field(B_(p))in field-reversed configuration(FRC),promising for achieving efficient plasma confinement due to its highβ,is a huge challenge because B_(p)is small and reverses around the core region.The laser-driven ion-beam trace probe(LITP)has been proven to diagnose the B_(p)profile in FRCs recently,whereas the existing iterative reconstruction approach cannot handle the measurement errors well.In this work,the machine learning approach,a fast-growing and powerful technology in automation and control,is applied to B_(p)reconstruction in FRCs based on LITP principles and it has a better performance than the previous approach.The machine learning approach achieves a more accurate reconstruction of B_(p)profile when 20%detector errors are considered,15%B_(p)fluctuation is introduced and the size of the detector is remarkably reduced.Therefore,machine learning could be a powerful support for LITP diagnosis of the magnetic field in magnetic confinement fusion devices.

Progress of Lyman-alpha-based beam emission spectroscopy(Ly BES)diagnostic on the HL-2A tokamak

An edge Lyman-alpha-based beam emission spectroscopy(LyBES)diagnostic,using a heating NBI(neutral beam injection)system,is currently under development on the HL-2A tokamak.The 20-channel edge LyBES,which is intended to measure the density fluctuation in plasma edge(from R=1960 mm to R=2026 mm)with an improved spatial resolution of 3.3 mm,is a complement to the existing conventional beam emission spectroscopy(BES)diagnostic.In this article,we introduce the progress of LyBES diagnostic,including the collection optics,the monochromator,and the detector system.The reflectance of the collection mirrors is measured to be~82%at 122 nm,and the aberration geometrical radius of the collection optics is tested to be~150μm in the aimed area.The linear dispersion of the LyBES monochromator is designed to be~0.09 nm mm^(-1).The bandwidth of the detector system with the 5×10^(7)V A^(-1)preamplifier gain is measured to be~280 kHz,and the peak-to-peak noise of the detector system is tested to be~16 mV.The finalized design,components development and testing of the LyBES diagnostic have been completed at present,and an overall performance of the LyBES diagnostic is to be confirmed in the next HL-2A campaign.

Theoretical analysis of the double-differential cross-sections of neutron,proton,deuteron,^(3)He,andαfor the p+^(6) Li reaction

Based on the unified Hauser–Feshbach and exciton model,which can describe the particle emission processes between discrete energy levels with energy,angular momentum,and parity conservations,a statistical theory of light nucleus reaction(STLN)is developed to calculate the double-differential cross-sections of the outgoing neutron and light charged particles for the proton-induced^(6) Li reaction.A significant difference is observed between the p+^(6) Li and p+^(7) Li reactions owing to the discrepancies in the energy-level structures of the targets.The reaction channels,including sequential and simultaneous emission processes,are analyzed in detail.Taking the double-differential cross-sections of the outgoing proton as an example,the influence of contaminations(such as^(1) H,^(7)Li,^(12)C,and^(16)O)on the target is identified in terms of the kinetic energy of the first emitted particles.The optical potential parameters of the proton are obtained by fitting the elastic scattering differential cross-sections.The calculated total double-differential cross-sections of the outgoing proton and deuteron at E_(p)=14 MeV agree well with the experimental data for different outgoing angles.Simultaneously,the mixed double differential cross-sections of^(3) He andαare in good agreement with the measurements.The agreement between the measured data and calculated results indicates that the two-body and three-body breakup reactions need to be considered,and the pre-equilibrium reaction mechanism dominates the reaction processes.Based on the STLN model,a PLUNF code for the p+^(6) Li reaction is developed to obtain an ENDF-6-formatted file of the double-differential cross-sections of the nucleon and light composite charged particles.

Suppression of stimulated Brillouin and Raman scatterings using an alternating frequency laser and transverse magnetic fields

A novel scheme to suppress both stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) and stimulated Raman scattering(SRS) by combining an alternating frequency(AF) laser and a transverse magnetic field is proposed. The AF laser allows the laser frequency to change discretely and alternately over time. The suppression of SBS is significant as long as the AF difference is greater than the linear growth rate of SBS or the alternating time of the laser frequency is shorter than the linear growth time of SBS. However, the AF laser proves ineffective in suppressing SRS, which usually has a much higher linear growth rate than SBS. To remedy that, a transverse magnetic field is included to suppress the SRS instability. The electrons trapped in the electron plasma waves(EPWs) of SRS can be accelerated by the surfatron mechanism in a transverse magnetic field and eventually detrapped. While continuously extracting energy from EPWs, the EPWs are dissipated and the kinetic inflation of SRS is suppressed. The one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation results show that both SBS and SRS can be effectively suppressed by combining the AF laser with a transverse magnetic field with tens of Tesla. The total reflectivity can be dramatically reduced by more than one order of magnitude. These results provide a potential reference for controlling SBS and SRS under the related parameters of inertial confinement fusion.

Unbound^(28)O,the heaviest oxygen isotope observed:a cutting-edge probe for testing nuclear models

The beyond-dripline oxygen isotopes^(27,28)O were recently observed at RIKEN,and were found to be unbound decaying into^(24)O by emitting neutrons.The unbound feature of the heaviest oxygen isotope,^(28)O,provides an excellent test for stateof-the-art nuclear models.The atomic nucleus is a self-organized quantum manybody system comprising specific numbers of protons Z and neutrons N.

Generation and regulation of electromagnetic pulses generated by femtosecond lasers interacting with multitargets

Ultrashort and powerful laser interactions with a target generate intense wideband electromagnetic pulses(EMPs).In this study,we report EMPs generated by the interactions between petawatt(30 fs,1.4×10^(20) W/cm^(2))femtosecond(fs)lasers with metal flat,plastic flat,and plastic nanowire-array(NWA)targets.Detailed analyses are conducted on the EMPs in terms of their spatial distribution,time and frequency domains,radiation energy,and protection.The results indicate that EMPs from metal targets exhibit larger amplitudes at varying angles than those generated by other types of targets and are enhanced significantly for NWA targets.Using a plastic target holder and increasing the laser focal spot can significantly decrease the radiation energy of the EMPs.Moreover,the composite shielding materials indicate an effective shielding effect against EMPs.The simulation results show that the NWA targets exert a collimating effect on thermal electrons,which directly affects the distribution of EMPs.This study provides guidance for regulating EMPs by controlling the laser focal spot,target parameters,and target rod material and is beneficial for electromagnetic-shielding design.

Spatial and temporal evolution of electromagnetic pulses from solid target irradiated with multi-hundred-terawatt laser pulse inside target chamber

Giant electromagnetic pulses(EMPs) induced by high-power laser irradiating solid targets interfere with various experimental diagnoses and even damage equipment,so unveiling the evolution of EMPs inside the laser chamber is crucial for designing effective EMP shielding.In this work,the transmission characteristics of EMPs as a function of distances from the target chamber center(TCC) are studied using B-dot probes.The mean EMP amplitude generated by picosecond laser-target interaction reaches 561 kV m^(-1),357 kV m^(-1),395 kV m^(-1),and 341 kV m^(-1)at 0.32 m,0.53 m,0.76 m,and 1 m from TCC,which decreases dramatically from 0.32 m to 0.53 m.However,it shows a fluctuation from 0.53 m to 1 m.The temporal features of EMPs indicate that time-domain EMP signals near the target chamber wall have a wider full width at half maximum compared to that close to TCC,mainly due to the echo oscillation of electromagnetic waves inside the target chamber based on simulation and experimentation.The conclusions of this study will provide a new approach to mitigate strong electromagnetic pulses by decreasing the echo oscillation of electromagnetic waves inside the target chamber during laser coupling with targets.

Influence of α-clustering nuclear structure on the rotating collision system

In recent years, the collective motion properties of global rotation of the symmetric colliding system in relativistic energies have been investigated. In addition, the initial geometrical shape effects on the collective flows have been explored using a hydrodynamical model, a transport model, etc. In this work, we study the asymmetric ^(12)C+^(197)Au collision at 200 GeV/c and the effect of the exotic nuclear structure on the global rotation using a multi-phase transport model. The global angular momentum and averaged angular speed were calculated and discussed for the collision system at different evolution stages.

Investigation of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter using isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics

Simulations of infinite nuclear matter at different densities,isospin asymmetries and temperatures are performed using the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics(IQMD)model to study the equation of state and symmetry energy.A rigorous periodic boundary condition is used in the simulations.Symmetry energies are extracted from the binding energies under different conditions and compared to the classical molecular dynamics(CMD)model using the same method.The results show that both models can reproduce the experimental results for the symmetry energies at low densities,but IQMD is more appropriate than CMD for nuclear matter above the saturation density.This indicates that IQMD may be a reliable model for the study of the properties of infinite nuclear matter.

New type of double‑slit interference experiment at Fermi scale

A new approach that using polarized photon–gluon collisions reported by STAR Collaboration is used to do tomography of the ultrarelativistic nucleus.The collision can be treated as a double-slit experiment at Fermi scale and solves a mystery last over 20 years in extracting the nuclear radius via vector meson photoproduction.

Simulation and test of the SLEGS TOF spectrometer at SSRF

The Shanghai laser electron gamma source(SLEGS)is a powerful tool for exploring photonuclear physics,such as giant dipole resonance(GDR)and pygmy dipole resonance,which are the main mechanisms of collective nuclear motion.The goal of the SLEGS neutron time-of-flight(TOF)spectrometer is to measure GDR and specific nuclear structures in the energy region above the neutron threshold.The SLEGS TOF spectrometer was designed to hold 20 sets of EJ301 and LaBr3 detectors.Geant4 was used to simulate the efficiency of each detector and the entire spectrometer,which provides a reference for the selection of detectors and layout of the SLEGS TOF spectrometer.Under the events of 208Pb,implementations of coincidence and time-of-flight technology for complex experiments are available;thus,and neutron decay events can be separated.The performance of SLEGS TOF spectrometer was systematically evaluated using offline experiments,in which the time resolution reached approximately 0.9 ns.

Hypernuclei as a laboratory to test hyperon–nucleon interactions

Directed flow(v_(1))of the hypernuclei ^(3)_(Λ)H and ^(4)_(Λ)H have been observed in mid-central Au+Au collisions at√^(s)NN=3 GeV at RHIC.This measurement opens up a new possibility for studying hyperon–nucleon(Y–N)interaction under finite pressure.In addition,multi-strangeness hypernuclei provide a venue to probe hyperon–nucleon–nucleon(Y–N–N)and even hyperon–hyperon–nucleon(Y–Y–N)interactions.Hypernuclei are important for making connection between nuclear collisions and the equation of state which governs the inner structure of compact stars.

Design and performance of a high-speed and low-noise preamplifier for SiPM

Considering the R&D for upgrading the K^(0)_(L) andμdetectors in the Belle II experiment using a scintillator and silicon pho-tomultiplier(SiPM),we designed a compact high-speed and low-noise preamplifier.The preamplifier demonstrated a good gain stability,bandwidth of 426 MHz,baseline noise level ofσ≈0.6 mV,dynamic range of up to170 mV of the input signal amplitude,good time resolution of 20 ps,and it can be comprehensively applied to SiPMs.Adopting pole-zero-cancelation in the preamplifier reduces both the rise and fall times of the SiPM signal,which can significantly improve the time resolution and reduce the pile-up when using a large SiPM or an array of SiPMs.Various combinations of the preamplifier and several types of SiPMs demonstrated time resolutions better than 50 ps for most cases;when the number of detected photons was larger than 60,a time resolution of approximately 25 ps was achieved.

Calculation of Nuclear Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering in HERMES Experiment

We investigate the possibility to acquire information of nuclear generalized parton distribution （GPD） H by studying the deeply virtual Compton scattering （DVCS） off several nuclear targets at the HERMES group （Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator Measurement of Spin）. Two different models are used and developed to demonstrate the leading asymmetry amplitude.A^sinФ LU for coherent-enriched and incoherent-enriched parts with both statistical and systematic uncertainties estimated. It is found that a clear enhancement of ratio of nuclear asymmetry A ^AsinФ to free proton asymmetry A^H,sinФ LU in the coherent-enriched region is expected by both models,and a decrease of the ratio in incoherent-enriched region; both give the information about nuclear modifications. It is also possible to distinguish between those two models even under the limited statistics.

New opportunities for nuclear and atomic physics on the femto-to nanometer scale with ultra-high-intensity lasers

There are a number of puzzles concerning physics on the scale of nanometers to femtometers,including the neutron lifetime,the proton charge radius,and the possible existence of the deep Dirac level.With the development of high-intensity laser technology,lasers today can induce extremely strong electromagnetic fields.Electrons in the deep shells of atoms as well as the atomic nucleus itself can be affected by these fields.This may provide a new experimental platform for studies of physical processes on the femto-to nanometer scale,where atomic physics and nuclear physics coexist.In this paper,we review possible new opportunities for studying puzzles on the femto-to nanometer scale using highintensity lasers.