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Quantum correlation dynamics and in-medium 3↔3 collisions of fermions

Wolfgang Cassing

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Phys. Rev. C 112, 024601 – Published 1 August, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ytpz-vljz

Abstract

It is the aim of this study to quantify the role of in-medium 3↔3 collisions for systems of fermions which initially are out-of equilibrium. The formulation of the three-body dynamics is based on the equations of motion method for identical fermions—also denoted as quantum correlation dynamics—and presented in detail. The on-shell two-body collision integral is briefly reviewed and the on-shell three-two-body collision integral is derived on the basis of the same two-body interaction in leading order. The resulting equations obey particle number as well as energy-momentum conservation. For a quantification of the relative impact of three-body interactions a model study is employed for a homogeneous system in space in a finite box with periodic boundary conditions. Here, spin-isospin symmetric nuclear matter systems are addressed with momentum distributions that are given by shifted Fermi spheres (without overlap) as encountered in the initial phase of nucleus-nucleus collisions after contact. The results for the relaxation times—employing an effective two-body interaction—are compared to Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) transport calculations in the continuum limit. It is found that the additional three-body interactions reduce the relaxation times up to a factor of 3 at 130 MeV/nucleon. Furthermore, it is shown in BUU transport calculations that an enhanced stopping by 3↔3 collisions shows up in the angular distribution of energetic nucleons (>60MeV), e.g., in central Rh4597 collisions at 40 MeV/nucleon that lead to the formation of a compound nucleus. The angular distribution of the energetic nucleons changes from a slightly forward peaked angular distribution to a slightly sidewards peaked angular distribution which might be controlled experimentally.

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Phys. Rev. C 112, 024601– Published 1 August, 2025
  • Received 8 March 2025
  • Accepted 5 June 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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