No Arabic abstract
The location of the neutron drip line, currently known for only the lightest elements, remains a fundamental question in nuclear physics. Its description is a challenge for microscopic nuclear energy density functionals, as it must take into account in a realistic way not only the nuclear potential, but also pairing correlations, deformation effects and coupling to the continuum. The recently developed deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) aims to provide a unified description of even-even nuclei throughout the nuclear chart. Here, the DRHBc with the successful density functional PC-PK1 is used to investigate whether and how deformation influences the prediction for the neutron drip-line location for even-even nuclei with 8<=Z<=20, where many isotopes are predicted deformed. The results are compared with those based on the spherical relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov (RCHB) theory and discussed in terms of shape evolution and the variational principle. It is found that the Ne and Ar drip-line nuclei are different after the deformation effect is included. The direction of the change is not necessarily towards an extended drip line, but rather depends on the evolution of the degree of deformation towards the drip line. Deformation effects as well as pairing and continuum effects treated in a consistent way can affect critically the theoretical description of the neutron drip-line location.
The predictive power of the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) for nuclear mass is examined in the superheavy region, $102 le Z le 120$. The accuracy of predicting the 10 (56) measured (measured and empirical) masses is $0.635$ ($0.642$) MeV, in comparison with $0.515$ ($1.360$) MeV by WS4 and $0.910$ ($2.831$) MeV by FRDM. Possible stability against multineutron emission beyond the two-neutron drip line is explored by the DRHBc theory, which takes into account simultaneously the deformation effects, the pairing correlations, and the continuum effects. Nuclei stable against two- and multineutron emissions beyond the two-neutron drip line are predicted in $_{106}$Sg, $_{108}$Hs, $_{110}$Ds, and $_{112}$Cn isotopic chains, forming a peninsula of stability adjacent to the nuclear mainland. This stability is mainly due to the deformation which significantly affects the shell structure around the Fermi surface. The pairing correlations and continuum influence the stability peninsula in a self-consistent way.
The aim of this work is to develop the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) theory based on the point-coupling density functionals and extend it to provide a unified description for all even-even nuclei in the nuclear chart by overcoming all possible challenges. The nuclear superfluidity is considered via Bogoliubov transformation. Densities and potentials are expanded in terms of Legendre polynomials to include the axial deformation degrees of freedom. Sophisticated relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov equations in coordinate space are solved in the DiracWoods-Saxon basis to consider the continuum effects. Numerical checks are performed from light nuclei to heavy nuclei. The techniques to construct the DRHBc mass table for even-even nuclei are explored. The DRHBc theory is extended to study heavier nuclei beyond magnesium isotopes. Taking Nd isotopes as examples, the experimental binding energies, two-neutron separation energies, quadrupole deformations, and charge radii are reproduced rather well. The deformation and continuum play essential roles in the description of nuclear masses and prediction of drip-line nuclei. By examining the single-particle levels in the canonical basis and their contributions to the total density, the thickness of the neutron skin, the particles number in continuum, and the Coulomb barrier, the exotic structures including the neutron skin and the proton radioactivity are predicted.
A deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (DRHB) model is developed aiming at a proper description of exotic nuclei, particularly deformed ones with large spatial extension. In order to give an adequate description of both the contribution of the continuum and the large spatial distribution in exotic nuclei, the DRHB equations are solved in a Woods-Saxon basis in which the radial wave functions have proper asymptotic behaviors at large distance from the nuclear center which is crucial for the formation of halo. The formalism and the numerical procedure of the DRHB model in a Woods-Saxon basis are briefly presented.
The cranked relativistic Hartree+Bogoliubov theory has been applied for a systematic study of the nuclei around 254No, the heaviest nuclei for which detailed spectroscopic data are available. The deformation, rotational response, pairing correlations, quasi-particle and other properties of these nuclei have been studied with different relativistic mean field (RMF) parametrizations. For the first time, the quasi-particle spectra of odd deformed nuclei have been calculated in a fully self-consistent way within the framework of the RMF theory. The energies of the spherical subshells, from which active deformed states of these nuclei emerge, are described with an accuracy better than 0.5 MeV for most of the subshells with the NL1 and NL3 parametrizations. However, for a few subshells the discrepancy reach 0.7-1.0 MeV. The implications of these results for the study of superheavy nuclei are discussed.
The cranked relativistic Hartree+Bogoliubov theory has been applied for a systematic study of the nuclei around 254No, the heaviest elements for which detailed spectroscopic data are available. The deformation, rotational response, pairing correlations, quasi-particle and other properties of these nuclei have been studied with different parametrizations for the effective mean-field Lagrangian. Pairing correlations are taken into account by a finite range two-body force of Gogny type. While the deformation properties are well reproduced, the calculations reveal some deficiencies of the effective forces both in the particle-hole and particle-particle channels. For the first time, the quasi-particle spectra of odd deformed nuclei have been calculated in a fully self-consistent way within the framework of the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory. The energies of the spherical subshells, from which active deformed states of these nuclei emerge, are described with an accuracy better than 0.5 MeV for most of the subshells with the NL1 and NL3 parametrizations. However, for a few subshells the discrepancies reach 0.7-1.0 MeV. In very heavy systems, where the level density is high, this level of accuracy is not sufficient for reliable predictions of the location of relatively small deformed shell gaps. The calculated moments of inertia reveal only small sensitivity to the RMF parametrization and, thus, to differences in the single-particle structure. However, in contrast to lighter systems, it is necessary to decrease the strength of the D1S Gogny force in the pairing channel in order to reproduce the moments of inertia.