Cross-checking the symmetry energy at high densities

Abstract

The nuclear symmetry energy determines the birth of neutron stars and the elementary nucleosynthesis in the universe. To constrain the nuclear symmetry energy, besides the studies in astrophysics, many terrestrial nuclear experiments are being carried out using a wide variety of advanced new facilities. In this paper, by cross-checking two unrelated experimental measurements using the newly updated transport model, we obtained a slightly soft symmetry energy at supra-saturation nuclear densities. While extrapolating to low nuclear densities, this result is compatible with the recent finding by comparing the available data on the electric dipole polarizability with the theoretical predictions. Our finding is expected to push the studies of nuclear physics and astrophysics forward.