New Modes of Nuclear Excitations

We present a theoretical approach based on density functional theory supplemented by a microscopic multi-phonon model which is applied for investigations of pygmy resonances and other excitations of different multipolarities in stable and exotic nuclei. The possible relation of low-energy modes to the properties of neutron or proton skins is systematically studied in isotonic and isotopic chains. The fine structure of nuclear electric and magnetic response functions is analyzed and compared to experimental data. Their relevance to nuclear astrophysics is discussed.Comment: A talk given at the 25th International Nuclear Physics Conference (INPC 2013), Firenze (Italy) 2-7 June 2013; to be published in EPJ Web of Conferences Journa

Spectroscopic features of low-energy excitations in skin nuclei

Systematic studies of dipole and other multipole excitations in stable and exotic nuclei are discussed theoretically. Exploring the relation of the strengths of low-energy dipole and quadrupole pygmy resonances to the thickness of the neutron (proton) skin a close connection between static and dynamic properties of the nucleus is observed. The fine structure of low-energy dipole strength in 138Ba nucleus is revealed from E1 and spin-flip M1 strengths distributions.Comment: A Talk given at the Int. Symposium 'Forefronts of Researches in Exotic Nuclear Structures - Niigata2010 -', 1-4 March, 2010, Tokamachi, Niigata, Japan; to be published in a volume of Modern Physics Letters A (MPLA)

Pygmy and giant resonances: connecting the nuclear structure to stellar astrophysics

Systematic theoretical investigations of dipole response in neutron-rich nuclei of importance for day-one photonuclear experiments at ELI-NP are presented. The calculations are performed in advanced mi- croscopic theory based on energy-density functional and three-phonon quasiparticle-phonon model. The model basis accounts for a large range of nuclear excitations with different spin and parity. In the focus of the studies are electric and magnetic dipole modes with energies up to 25 MeV. Of special interest are pygmy dipole and giant dipole resonances. The impact of different low-energy excitations and in particular of the PDR on radia- tive neutron-capture reaction cross sections in nuclei of key importance for nucleosynthesis is investigated.The obtained results are compared to available experimental data

Pygmy resonances and nucleosynthesis

A microscopic theoretical approach based on a self-consistent density functional theory for the nuclear ground state and QRPA formalism extended with multi-phonon degrees of freedom for the nuclear excited states is implemented in investigations of new low-energy modes called pygmy resonances. Advantage of the method is the unified description of low-energy multiphonon excitations, pygmy resonances and core polarization effects. This is found of crucial importance for the understanding of the fine structure of nuclear response functions at low energies. Aspects of the precise knowledge of nuclear response functions around the neutron threshold are discussed in a connection to nucleosynthesis

Dissolution of shell structures and the polarizability of dripline nuclei

Nuclear matter and finite nuclei at extreme isospin are studied within the microscopical Giessen energy density functional (GEDF). The structure of the GEDF is discussed. Quasiparticle wave equations and the residual interactions are derived by variational methods. Applications to nuclear ground and excited states by HFB and QRPA methods and extensions to multi-phonon theory are indicated. Pairing effects are described by the Gorkov coupled channels approach by which wave function effects are accounted for. Pairing self-energies for continuum states and the resulting additional scattering phase shifts are introduced. It is shown that pairing and polarization self-energies can induce narrow resonances in continuum spectra. Dipole and quadrupole response functions and polarizabilities are discussed as signatures for halo and skin dynamics in lithium and in carbon isotopes. The recently established new pygmy dipole (PDR) and quadrupole (PQR) modes are considered as signatures for nuclear skin dynamics. Their importance for astrophysical reaction rates and stellar nucleo-synthesis is investigated

Pygmy resonances and radiative nucleon captures for stellar nucleosynthesis

The impact of low-energy multipole excitations and pygmy resonances on radiative neutron and proton-capture cross sections in nuclei close to the β-stability line is investigated. For this purpose, a microscopic theoretical approach based on self-consistent density functional theory and quasiparticle-random-phase-approximation formalism extended with multiphonon degrees of freedom is implemented in a statistical reaction model. The advantage of the method is the microscopic nuclear structure input for unified description of low-energy multiphonon excitations and pygmy and giant resonances. This is found to be important for the understanding of the fine structure and dynamics of the nuclear response function at low energies, which strongly influences nuclear reaction rates of astrophysical relevance. Calculations of the radiative capture cross sections of the reactions Kr85(n,γ)Kr86, Sr87(n,γ)Sr88, and Y89(p,γ)Zr90 are discussed in comparison with experimental data. For the reactions Zr89(n,γ)Zr90 and Mo91(n,γ)Mo92 theoretical predictions of the reaction cross sections are made.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Nuclear pygmy modes and the dynamics of the nuclear skin

The information on pygmy resonances reveals new aspects on the isospin dynamics of the nucleus with important astrophysical consequences. In this connection, the precise knowledge of nuclear response functions plays a key role in the determination of photonuclear reactions cross sections which are of importance for the synthesis of heavy neutron-rich elements. For that purpose, a theoretical method based on density functional theory and multi-phonon approach is applied for investigations of nuclear excitations with different multipolarities and energies in stable and exotic nuclei. The possible relation of low-energy modes to the properties of neutron or proton skins is systematically investigated for isotonic and isotopic chains. Our studies of dipole and quadrupole response functions and the corresponding transition densities indicate new pygmy dipole and pygmy quadrupole resonances, describing oscillations of the nuclear skin. Also, the presence of skins is found to affect the magnetic response of nuclei

Nuclear Structure Studies with Gamma-Ray Beams

In stable and weakly bound neutron-rich nuclei, a resonance-like concentration of dipole states has been observed for excitation energies below the neutron-separation energy. This clustering of strong dipole states has been named the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) in contrast to the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) that dominates the E1 response. Understanding the PDR is presently of great interest in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. High-sensitivity studies of E1 and M1 transitions in closed-shell nuclei using monoenergetic and 100% linearly-polarized photon beams are presented

Nuclear Structure Studies with Gamma-Ray Beams

In stable and weakly bound neutron-rich nuclei, a resonance-like concentration of dipole states has been observed for excitation energies below the neutron-separation energy. This clustering of strong dipole states has been named the Pygmy Dipole Resonance (PDR) in contrast to the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) that dominates the E1 response. Understanding the PDR is presently of great interest in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. High-sensitivity studies of E1 and M1 transitions in closed-shell nuclei using monoenergetic and 100% linearly-polarized photon beams are presented