The beta-delayed neutron emission in 78Ni region

A systematic study of the total $\beta$-decay half-lives and $\beta$-delayed neutron emission probabilities is performed. The $\beta$-strength function is treated within the self-consistent density-functional + continuum-QRPA framework including the Gamow-Teller and first-forbidden transitions. The experimental total $\beta$-decay half-lives for the Ni isotopes with $A\leq$76 are described satisfactorily. The half-lives predicted from $A$=70 up to $A$=86 reveal fairly regular $A$-behaviour which results from simultaneous account for the Gamow-Teller and first-forbidden transitions. For $Z\approx$ 28 nuclei, a suppression of the delayed neutron emission probability is found when the $N$=50 neutron closed shell is crossed. The effect originates from the high-energy first-forbidden transitions to the states outside the $Q_{\beta} - S_n$-window in the daughter nuclei. PACS numbers: 23.40.Bw,21.60.Jz,25.30.Pt,26.30.+kComment: LaTeX, 13 pages, 5 figure

Two-phonon structures for beta-decay theory

The $\beta$-decay rates of $^{60}$Ca have been studied within a microscopic model, which is based on the Skyrme interaction T45 to construct single-particle and phonon spaces. We observe a redistribution of the Gamow-Teller strength due to the phonon-phonon coupling, considered in the model. For $^{60}$Sc, the spin-parity of the ground state is found to be $1^+$. We predict that the half-life of $^{60}$Ca is 0.3 ms, while the total probability of the $\beta x n$ emission is 6.1%. Additionally, the random matrix theory has been applied to analyse the statistical properties of the $1^+$ spectrum populated in the $\beta$-decay to elucidate the obtained results.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Structure and Related Topics (NSRT18), June 3-9 2018, Burgas, Bulgari

Sensitivity of β\beta-decay rates to the radial dependence of the nucleon effective mass

We analyze the sensitivity of $\beta$-decay rates in 78 Ni and 100,132 Sn to a correction term in Skyrme energy-density functionals (EDF) which modifies the radial shape of the nucleon effective mass. This correction is added on top of several Skyrme parametrizations which are selected from their effective mass properties and predictions about the stability properties of 132 Sn. The impact of the correction on high-energy collective modes is shown to be moderate. From the comparison of the effects induced by the surface-peaked effective mass in the three doubly magic nuclei, it is found that 132 Sn is largely impacted by the correction, while 78 Ni and 100 Sn are only moderately affected. We conclude that $\beta$-decay rates in these nuclei can be used as a test of different parts of the nuclear EDF: 78 Ni and 100 Sn are mostly sensitive to the particle-hole interaction through the B(GT) values, while 132 Sn is sensitive to the radial shape of the effective mass. Possible improvements of these different parts could therefore be better constrained in the future

Description of double beta decay within continuum-QRPA

A method to calculate the nuclear double beta decay ($2\nu\beta\beta$- and $0\nu\beta\beta$-) amplitudes within the continuum random phase approximation (cQRPA) is formulated. Calculations of the $\beta\beta$ transition amplitudes within the cQRPA are performed for ^{76}Ge, ^{100}Mo and ^{130}Te. A rather simple nuclear Hamiltonian consisting of phenomenological mean field and zero-range residual particle-hole and particle-particle interaction is used. The calculated M^{2\nu} are almost not affected when the single-particle continuum is taken into account. At the same time, a regular suppression of the $0\nu\beta\beta$-amplitude is found that can be associated with additional ground state correlations due to collective states in the continuum. It is expected that future inclusion of the nucleon pairing in the single-particle continuum will somewhat compensate the suppression.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure, published versio

Further explorations of Skyrme-Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov mass formulas. XII: Stiffness and stability of neutron-star matter

We construct three new Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) mass models, labeled HFB-19, HFB-20, and HFB-21, with unconventional Skyrme forces containing $t_4$ and $t_5$ terms, i.e., density-dependent generalizations of the usual $t_1$ and $t_2$ terms, respectively. The new forces underlying these models are fitted respectively to three different realistic equations of state of neutron matter for which the density dependence of the symmetry energy ranges from the very soft to the very stiff, reflecting thereby our present lack of complete knowledge of the high-density behavior of nuclear matter. All unphysical instabilities of nuclear matter, including the transition to a polarized state in neutron-star matter, are eliminated with the new forces. At the same time the new models fit essentially all the available mass data with rms deviations of 0.58 MeV and give the same high quality fits to measured charge radii that we obtained in earlier models with conventional Skyrme forces. Being constrained by neutron matter, these new mass models, which all give similar extrapolations out to the neutron drip line, are highly appropriate for studies of the $r$-process and the outer crust of neutron stars. Moreover, the underlying forces, labeled BSk19, BSk20 and BSk21, respectively, are well adapted to the study of the inner crust and core of neutron stars. The new family of Skyrme forces thus opens the way to a unified description of all regions of neutron stars.Comment: 45 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Local energy-density functional approach to many-body nuclear systems with s-wave pairing

The ground-state properties of superfluid nuclear systems with ^1S_0 pairing are studied within a local energy-density functional (LEDF) approach. A new form of the LEDF is proposed with a volume part which fits the Friedman- Pandharipande and Wiringa-Fiks-Fabrocini equation of state at low and moderate densities and allows an extrapolation to higher densities preserving causality. For inhomogeneous systems, a surface term with two free parameters is added. In addition to the Coulomb direct and exchange interaction energy, an effective density-dependent Coulomb-nuclear correlation term is included with one more free parameter, giving a contribution of the same order of magnitude as the Nolen-Schiffer anomaly in Coulomb displacement energy. The root-mean-square deviations from experimental masses and radii with the proposed LEDF come out about a factor of two smaller than those obtained with the conventional functionals based on the Skyrme or finite-range Gogny force, or on the relativistic mean-field theory. The generalized variational principle is formulated leading to the self-consistent Gor'kov equations which are solved exactly, with physical boundary conditions both for the bound and scattering states. With a zero-range density-dependent cutoff pairing interaction incorporating a density-gradient term, the evolution of differential observables such as odd-even mass differences and staggering in charge radii, is reproduced reasonably well, including kinks at magic neutron numbers. An extrapolation to infinite nuclear matter is discussed. We study also the dilute limit in both the weak and strong coupling regime.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures. LaTeX, with modified cls file supplied. To be published in vol. 3 of the series "Advances in Quantum Many-Body Theory", World Scientific (Proceedings of the MBX Conference, Seattle, September 10-15, 1999