No Arabic abstract
The structure of low-energy collective states in proton-deficient N=28 isotones is analyzed using structure models based on the relativistic energy density functional DD-PC1. The relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov model for triaxial nuclei is used to calculate binding energy maps in the $beta$-$gamma$ plane. The evolution of neutron and proton single-particle levels with quadrupole deformation, and the occurrence of gaps around the Fermi surface, provide a simple microscopic interpretation of the onset of deformation and shape coexistence. Starting from self-consistent constrained energy surfaces calculated with the functional DD-PC1, a collective Hamiltonian for quadrupole vibrations and rotations is employed in the analysis of excitation spectra and transition rates of $^{46}$Ar, $^{44}$S, and $^{42}$Si. The results are compared to available data, and previous studies based either on the mean-field approach or large-scale shell-model calculations. The present study is particularly focused on $^{44}$S, for which data have recently been reported that indicate pronounced shape coexistence.
The structure of low-lying excitation states of even-even $N=40$ isotones is studied using a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian with the collective parameters determined from the relativistic mean-field plus BCS method with the PC-PK1 functional in the particle-hole channel and a separable paring force in the particle-particle channel. The theoretical calculations can reproduce not only the systematics of the low-lying states along the isotonic chain but also the detailed structure of the spectroscopy in a single nucleus. We find a picture of spherical-oblate-prolate shape transition along the isotonic chain of $N=40$ by analyzing the potential energy surfaces. The coexistence of low-lying excited $0^+$ states has also been shown to be a common feature in neutron-deficient $N=40$ isotones.
Background: The $K^pi=2^-$ excited band emerges systematically in $N=150$ isotones raging from Pu to No with even-$Z$ numbers, and a sharp drop in energies was observed in Cf. Purpose: I attempt to uncover the microscopic mechanism for the appearance of such a low-energy $2^-$ state in $^{248}$Cf. Furthermore, I investigate the possible occurrence of the low-energy $K^pi=2^+$ state to elucidate the mechanism that prefers the simultaneous breaking of the reflection and axial symmetry to the breaking of the axial symmetry alone in this mass region. Method: I employ a nuclear EDF method: the Skyrme-Kohn-Sham-Bogoliubov and the quasiparticle random-phase approximation are used to describe the ground state and the transition to excited states. Results: The Skyrme-type SkM* and SLy4 functionals reproduce the fall in energy, but not the absolute value, of the $K^pi=2^-$ state at $Z=98$, where the proton 2qp excitation $[633]7/2 otimes [521]3/2$ plays a decisive role for the peculiar isotonic dependence. I find interweaving roles by the pairing correlation of protons and the deformed shell closure at $Z=98$. The SkM* model predicts the $K^pi=2^-$ state appears lower in energy in $^{246}$Cf than in $^{248}$Cf as the Fermi level of neutrons is located in between the $[622]5/2$ and $[734]9/2$ orbitals. Except for $^{250}$Fm in the SkM* calculation, the $K^pi=2^+$ state is predicted to appear higher in energy than the $K^pi=2^-$ state because the quasi-proton $[521]1/2$ orbital is located above the $[633]7/2$ orbital. Conclusions: A systematic study of low-lying collective states in heavy actinide nuclei provides a rigorous testing ground for microscopic nuclear models. The present study shows a need for improvements in the EDFs to describe pairing correlations and shell structures in heavy nuclei, that are indispensable in predicting the heaviest nuclei.
Relativistic energy density functionals (REDF) provide a complete and accurate, global description of nuclear structure phenomena. A modern semi-empirical functional, adjusted to the nuclear matter equation of state and to empirical masses of deformed nuclei, is applied to studies of shapes of superheavy nuclei. The theoretical framework is tested in a comparison of calculated masses, quadrupole deformations, and potential energy barriers to available data on actinide isotopes. Self-consistent mean-field calculations predict a variety of spherical, axial and triaxial shapes of long-lived superheavy nuclei, and their alpha-decay energies and half-lives are compared to data. A microscopic, REDF-based, quadrupole collective Hamiltonian model is used to study the effect of explicit treatment of collective correlations in the calculation of Q{alpha} values and half-lives.
The explicit density (rho) dependence in the coupling coefficients of the non-relativistic nuclear energy-density functional (EDF) encodes effects of three-nucleon forces and dynamical correlations. The necessity for a coupling coefficient in the form of a small fractional power of rho is empirical and the power often chosen arbitrarily. Consequently, precision-oriented parameterisations risk overfitting and loss of predictive power. Observing that the Fermi momentum kF~rho^1/3 is a key variable in Fermi systems, we examine if a power hierarchy in kF can be inferred from the properties of homogeneous matter in a domain of densities which is relevant for nuclear structure and neutron stars. For later applications we want to determine an EDF that is of good quality but not overtrained. We fit polynomial and other functions of rho^1/3 to existing microscopic calculations of the energy of symmetric and pure neutron matter and analyze the fits. We select a form and parameter set which we found robust and examine the parameters naturalness and the resulting extrapolations. A statistical analysis confirms that low-order terms like rho^1/3 and rho^2/3 are the most relevant ones. It also hints at a different power hierarchy for symmetric vs. pure neutron matter, supporting the need for more than one rho^a terms in non-relativistic EDFs. The EDF we propose accommodates adopted properties of nuclear matter near saturation. Importantly, its extrapolation to dilute or asymmetric matter reproduces a range of existing microscopic results, to which it has not been fitted. It also predicts neutron-star properties consistent with observations. The coefficients display naturalness. Once determined for homogeneous matter, EDFs of the present form can be mapped onto Skyrme-type ones for use in nuclei. The statistical analysis can be extended to higher orders and for different ab initio calculations.
Coexistence of different geometric shapes at low energies presents a universal structure phenomenon that occurs over the entire chart of nuclides. Studies of the shape coexistence are important for understanding the microscopic origin of collectivity and modifications of shell structure in exotic nuclei far from stability. The aim of this work is to provide a systematic analysis of characteristic signatures of coexisting nuclear shapes in different mass regions, using a global self-consistent theoretical method based on universal energy density functionals and the quadrupole collective model. The low-energy excitation spectrum and quadrupole shape invariants of the two lowest $0^{+}$ states of even-even nuclei are obtained as solutions of a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian (5DCH) model, with parameters determined by constrained self-consistent mean-field calculations based on the relativistic energy density functional PC-PK1, and a finite-range pairing interaction. The theoretical excitation energies of the states: $2^+_1$, $4^+_1$, $0^+_2$, $2^+_2$, $2^+_3$, as well as the $B(E2; 0^+_1to 2^+_1)$ values, are in very good agreement with the corresponding experimental values for 621 even-even nuclei. Quadrupole shape invariants have been implemented to investigate shape coexistence, and the distribution of possible shape-coexisting nuclei is consistent with results obtained in recent theoretical studies and available data. The present analysis has shown that, when based on a universal and consistent microscopic framework of nuclear density functionals, shape invariants provide distinct indicators and reliable predictions for the occurrence of low-energy coexisting shapes. This method is particularly useful for studies of shape coexistence in regions far from stability where few data are available.