We report the first global study of dynamic correlation energies (DCEs) associated with rotational motion and quadrupole shape vibrational motion in a covariant energy density functional (CEDF) for 575 even-even nuclei with proton numbers ranging fro
m $Z=8$ to $Z=108$ by solving a five-dimensional collective Hamiltonian, the collective parameters of which are determined from triaxial relativistic mean-field plus BCS calculation using the PC-PK1 force. After taking into account these beyond mean-field DCEs, the root-mean-square (rms) deviation with respect to nuclear masses is reduced significantly down to 1.14 MeV, which is smaller than those of other successful CEDFs: NL3* (2.96 MeV), DD-ME2 (2.39 MeV), DD-ME$delta$ (2.29 MeV) and DD-PC1 (2.01 MeV). Moreover, the rms deviation for two-nucleon separation energies is reduced by $sim34%$ in comparison with cranking prescription.
Starting from the adiabatic time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation (ATDHF), we propose an efficient method to calculate the Thouless-Valatin moments of inertia for the nuclear system. The method is based on the rapid convergence of the expansion o
f the inertia matrix. The accuracy of the proposed method is verified in the rotational case by comparing the results with the exact Thouless-Valatin moments of inertia calculated using the self-consistent cranking model. The proposed method is computationally much more efficient than the full ATDHF calculation, yet it retains a high accuracy of the order of 1%.
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 ca
lculate 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 analysis of shape transitions in Nd isotopes, based on the framework of relativistic energy density functionals and restricted to axially symmetric shapes in Ref. cite{PRL99}, is extended to the region $Z = 60$, 62, 64 with $N approx 90$, and inc
ludes both $beta$ and $gamma$ deformations. Collective excitation spectra and transition probabilities are calculated starting from a five-dimensional Hamiltonian for quadrupole vibrational and rotational degrees of freedom, with parameters determined by constrained self-consistent relativistic mean-field calculations for triaxial shapes. The results reproduce available data, and show that there is an abrupt change of structure at N=90 that can be approximately characterized by the X(5) analytic solution at the critical point of the first-order quantum phase transition between spherical and axially deformed shapes.
We present the first study to examine the validity of the relativistic impulse approximation (RIA) for describing elastic proton-nucleus scattering at incident laboratory kinetic energies lower than 200 MeV. For simplicity we choose a $^{208}$Pb targ
et, which is a spin-saturated spherical nucleus for which reliable nuclear structure models exist. Microscopic scalar and vector optical potentials are generated by folding invariant scalar and vector scattering nucleon-nucleon (NN) amplitudes, based on our recently developed relativistic meson-exchange model, with Lorentz scalar and vector densities resulting from the accurately calibrated PK1 relativistic mean field model of nuclear structure. It is seen that phenomenological Pauli blocking (PB) effects and density-dependent corrections to $sigma$N and $omega$N meson-nucleon coupling constants modify the RIA microscopic scalar and vector optical potentials so as to provide a consistent and quantitative description of all elastic scattering observables, namely total reaction cross sections, differential cross sections, analyzing powers and spin rotation functions. In particular, the effect of PB becomes more significant at energies lower than 200 MeV, whereas phenomenological density-dependent corrections to the NN interaction {it also} play an increasingly important role at energies lower than 100 MeV.
