Gamow-Teller response and its spreading mechanism in doubly magic nuclei

The scope of the paper is to apply a state-of-the-art beyond mean-field model to the description of the Gamow-Teller response in atomic nuclei. This topic recently attracted considerable renewed interest, due, in particular, to the possibility of performing experiments in unstable nuclei. We study the cases of $^{48}$Ca, $^{78}$Ni, $^{132}$Sn and $^{208}$Pb. Our model is based on a fully self-consistent Skyrme Hartree-Fock plus random phase approximation. The same Skyrme interaction is used to calculate the coupling between particles and vibrations, which leads to the mixing of the Gamow-Teller resonance with a set of doorway states and to its fragmentation. We compare our results with available experimental data. The microscopic coupling mechanism is also discussed in some detail.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figure

Stellar electron-capture rates calculated with the finite-temperature relativistic random-phase approximation

We introduce a self-consistent microscopic theoretical framework for modelling the process of electron capture on nuclei in stellar environment, based on relativistic energy density functionals. The finite-temperature relativistic mean-field model is used to calculate the single-nucleon basis and the occupation factors in a target nucleus, and $J^{\pi} = 0^{\pm}$, $1^{\pm}$, $2^{\pm}$ charge-exchange transitions are described by the self-consistent finite-temperature relativistic random-phase approximation. Cross sections and rates are calculated for electron capture on 54,56Fe and 76,78Ge in stellar environment, and results compared with predictions of similar and complementary model calculations.Comment: Physical Review C, accepte

β\beta-decay half-lives as an indicator of shape-phase transition in neutron-rich Zr isotopes with particle-vibration coupling effect

[Background] $\beta$-decay half-life is sensitive to the shell structure near the Fermi levels. Nuclear deformation thus impacts the $\beta$-decay properties. [Purpose] A first-order shape-phase transition in neutron-rich Zr isotopes is predicted by some models. We investigate the $\beta$-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei around $^{110}$Zr, where the shape-phase transition is predicted to occur, to see if the $\beta$-decay half-life can be an indicator of the shape changes. [Method] The proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (RPA) is adopted to calculate the Gamow-Teller transitions. In addition, we apply the quasiparticle phonon-vibrational coupling (PVC) to consider the phonon couplings. [Results] The spherical and oblate configurations give similar half-lives but shorter ones than the prolate configuration at the RPA level. The PVC effect further reduces the half-lives in general, but the effect is smaller for the deformed configuration than that for the spherical one. As a result, it makes the shape change from the oblate configuration to the spherical configuration visible. Therefore, a sudden shortening of $\beta$-decay half-lives is always found at the nuclear shape changes. [Conclusions] $\beta$-decay half-life is an indicator of the shape-phase transition. The shape mixing and the roles of the triaxial deformation are subject to study in the future.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

The Gamow-Teller response within Skyrme random-phase approximation plus particle-vibration coupling

Although many random-phase approximation (RPA) calculations of the Gamow-Teller (GT) response exist, this is not the case for calculations going beyond the mean-field approximation. We apply a consistent model that includes the coupling of the GT resonance to low-lying vibrations, to nuclei of the $fp$ shell. Among other motivations, our goal is to see if the particle-vibration coupling can redistribute the low-lying GT$^+$ strength that is relevant for electron-capture processes in core-collapse supernova. We conclude that the lowering and fragmentation of that strength are consistent with the experimental findings and validate our model. However, the particle-vibration coupling cannot account for the quenching of the total value of the low-lying strength.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figure