Probing the neutron-skin thickness via the double-charge exchange reactions in pion-nucleus collisions

Abstract

Within the framework of Lanzhou quantum molecular dynamics (LQMD) transport model, we investigate the influence of the neutron-skin thickness of neutron-rich nuclei on the pion emission in the double-charge exchange reactions near the $\triangle$-resonance energy, in particular, the rapidity and transverse momentum spectra, charged pion ratios et al. The reactions induced by pions are associated with the multiple processes of pions, nucleons and $\triangle$-resonances, correlated with the neutron-skin thickness. It is found that the kinetic energy spectra of $\pi^{-}$/$\pi^{+}$ ratio are sensitive to the neutron-skin thickness of neutron-rich nuclei for extracting the subsaturation-density symmetry energy. The double-charge exchange reactions are influenced by the neutron-skin thickness, in-medium properties of resonances, pion-nucleon potential and pion-nucleon scattering.