Abstract:
Based on the deformed nucleon distributions obtained from the constrained Skyrme-Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov calculation using different nuclear symmetry energies, we have investigated the effects of the neutron skin and the collision geometry on the yield of free spectator nucleons as well as the yield ratio
N_\rmn^/N_\rmp^ of free spectator neutrons to protons in collisions of deformed nuclei at RHIC energies. We found that tip-tip (body-body) collisions with prolate (oblate) nuclei lead to fewest free spectator nucleons, compared to other collision configurations. While the
N_\rmn^/N_\rmp^ ratio is sensitive to the average neutron-skin thickness of colliding nuclei, and is thus a good probe of the symmetry energy, it is affected by the polar angular distribution of the neutron skin in different collision configurations. We also found that the collision geometry effect can be as large as 50% the symmetry energy effect in some collision systems. Due to the particular deformed neutron skin in
238U and
96Zr, the symmetry energy effect on the
N_\rmn^/N_\rmp^ ratio is enhanced in tip-tip
238U+
238U collisions and body-body
96Zr+
96Zr collisions compared to other collision configurations in the same collision system. Our study may shed light on probing deformed neutron skin by selecting desired configurations in high-energy collisions with deformed nuclei.