The neutron/proton ratio of squeezed-out nucleons and the high density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy

Abstract

Within a transport model it is shown that the neutron/proton ratio of squeezed-out nucleons perpendicular to the reaction plane, especially at high transverse momenta, in heavy-ion reactions induced by high energy neutron-rich nuclei can be a useful tool for studying the high density behavior of the nuclear symmetry energy.

Comments: 9 pages, 3 figures, version accepted by PLB