Comparing non-perturbative models of the breakup of neutron-halo nuclei

Breakup reactions of loosely-bound nuclei are often used to extract structure and/or astrophysical information. Here we compare three non-perturbative reaction theories often used when analyzing breakup experiments, namely the continuum discretized coupled channel model, the time-dependent approach relying on a semiclassical approximation, and the dynamical eikonal approximation. Our test case consists of the breakup of 15C on Pb at 68 MeV/nucleon and 20 MeV/nucleon.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Deducing spectroscopic factors from wave-function asymptotics

In a coupled-channel model, we explore the effects of coupling between configurations on the radial behavior of the wave function and, in particular, on the spectroscopic factor (SF) and the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC). We evaluate the extraction of a SF from the ratio of the ANC of the coupled-channel model to that of a single-particle approximation of the wave function. We perform this study within a core + n collective model, which includes two states of the core that connect by a rotational coupling. To get additional insights, we also use a simplified model that takes a delta function for the coupling potential. Calculations are performed for 11Be. Fair agreement is obtained between the SF inferred from the single-particle approximation and the one obtained within the coupled-channel models. Significant discrepancies are observed only for large coupling strength and/or large admixture, that is, a small SF. This suggests that reliable SFs can be deduced from the wave-function asymptotics when the structure is dominated by one configuration, that is, for a large SF.Comment: Title correcte

Asymptotic normalization of mirror states and the effect of couplings

Assuming that the ratio between asymptotic normalization coefficients of mirror states is model independent, charge symmetry can be used to indirectly extract astrophysically relevant proton capture reactions on proton-rich nuclei based on information on stable isotopes. The assumption has been tested for light nuclei within the microscopic cluster model. In this work we explore the Hamiltonian independence of the ratio between asymptotic normalization coefficients of mirror states when deformation and core excitation is introduced in the system. For this purpose we consider a phenomenological rotor + N model where the valence nucleon is subject to a deformed mean field and the core is allowed to excite. We apply the model to 8Li/8B, 13C/13N, 17O/17F, 23Ne/23Al, and 27Mg/27P. Our results show that for most studied cases, the ratio between asymptotic normalization coefficients of mirror states is independent of the strength and multipolarity of the couplings induced. The exception is for cases in which there is an s-wave coupled to the ground state of the core, the proton system is loosely bound, and the states have large admixture with other configurations. We discuss the implications of our results for novae.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PR

Mechanisms of direct reactions with halo nuclei

Halo nuclei are exotic nuclei which exhibit a strongly clusterised structure: they can be seen as one or two valence nucleons loosely bound to a core. Being observed at the ridge of the valley of stability, halo nuclei are studied mostly through reactions. In this contribution the reaction models most commonly used to analyse experimental data are reviewed and compared to one another. A reaction observable built on the ratio of two angular distributions is then presented. This ratio enables removing most of the sensitivity to the reaction mechanism, which emphasises the effects of nuclear structure on the reaction.Comment: Invited talk given by Pierre Capel at the "10th International Conference on Clustering Aspects of Nuclear Structure and Dynamics" (Cluster12), Debrecen, Hungary, 24-28 September 2012. To appear in the Cluster12 Proceedings in the Open Access Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS). (5 pages, 3 figures

Peripherality of breakup reactions

The sensitivity of elastic breakup to the interior of the projectile wave function is analyzed. Breakup calculations of loosely bound nuclei (8B and 11Be) are performed with two different descriptions of the projectile. The descriptions differ strongly in the interior of the wave function, but exhibit identical asymptotic properties, namely the same asymptotic normalization coefficient, and phase shifts. Breakup calculations are performed at intermediate energies (40-70 MeV/nucleon) on lead and carbon targets as well as at low energy (26 MeV) on a nickel target. No dependence on the projectile description is observed. This result confirms that breakup reactions are peripheral in the sense that they probe only the external part of the wave function. These measurements are thus not directly sensitive to the total normalization of the wave function, i.e. spectroscopic factor.Comment: Reviewed version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C; 1 new section (Sec. III E), 2 new figures (Figs. 3 and 5

Unmasking a role for sex chromosomes in gene silencing

Several sexually dimorphic phenotypes correlate with sex-chromosome dosage rather than with phenotypic sex. New research suggests that sex chromosome dimorphism helps to regulate gene silencing

Energy dependence of non-local potentials

Recently a variety of studies have shown the importance of including non-locality in the description of reactions. The goal of this work is to revisit the phenomenological approach to determining non-local optical potentials from elastic scattering. We perform a $\chi^2$ analysis of neutron elastic scattering data off $^{40}$Ca, $^{90}$Zr and $^{208}$Pb at energies $E \approx 5-40$ MeV, assuming a Perey and Buck or Tian, Pang, and Ma non-local form for the optical potential. We introduce energy and asymmetry dependencies in the imaginary part of the potential and refit the data to obtain a global parameterization. Independently of the starting point in the minimization procedure, an energy dependence in the imaginary depth is required for a good description of the data across the included energy range. We present two parameterizations, both of which represent an improvement over the original potentials for the fitted nuclei as well as for other nuclei not included in our fit. Our results show that, even when including the standard Gaussian non-locality in optical potentials, a significant energy dependence is required to describe elastic-scattering data.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. C Rapid Communicatio

Recent developments in the eikonal description of the breakup of exotic nuclei

The study of exotic nuclear structures, such as halo nuclei, is usually performed through nuclear reactions. An accurate reaction model coupled to a realistic description of the projectile is needed to correctly interpret experimental data. In this contribution, we briefly summarise the assumptions made within the modelling of reactions involving halo nuclei. We describe briefly the Continuum-Discretised Coupled Channel method (CDCC) and the Dynamical Eikonal Approximation (DEA) in particular and present a comparison between them for the breakup of 15C on Pb at 68AMeV. We show the problem faced by the models based on the eikonal approximation at low energy and detail a correction that enables their extension down to lower beam energies. A new reaction observable is also presented. It consists of the ratio between angular distributions for two different processes, such as elastic scattering and breakup. This ratio is completely independent of the reaction mechanism and hence is more sensitive to the projectile structure than usual reaction observables, which makes it a very powerful tool to study exotic structures far from stability.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of the XXI International School on Nuclear Physics and Applications & the International Symposium on Exotic Nuclei, dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of the JINR (Dubna) (Varna, Bulgaria, 6-12 September 2015), 7 pages, 4 figure