The Skyrme energy functional and low lying 2+ states in Sn, Cd and Te isotopes

We study the predictive power of Skyrme forces with respect to low lying quadrupole spectra along the chains of Sn, Cd, and Te isotopes. Excitation energies and B(E2) values for the lowest quadrupole states are computed from a collective Schroedinger equation which as deduced through collective path generated by constraint Skyrme-Hartree-Fock (SHF) plus self-consistent cranking for the dynamical response. We compare the results from four different Skyrme forces, all treated with two different pairing forces (volume versus density-dependent pairing). The region around the neutron shell closure N=82 is very sensitive to changes in the Skyrme while the mid-shell isotopes in the region N<82 depend mainly on the adjustment of pairing. The neutron rich isotopes are most sensitive and depend on both aspects

Magic numbers in exotic nuclei and spin-isospin properties of {\it NN} interaction

The magic numbers in exotic nuclei are discussed, and their novel origin is shown to be the spin-isospin dependent part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction in nuclei. The importance and robustness of this mechanism is shown in terms of meson exchange, G-matrix and QCD theories. In neutron-rich exotic nuclei, magic numbers such as N = 8, 20, etc. can disappear, while N = 6, 16, etc. arise, affecting the structure of lightest exotic nuclei to nucleosynthesis of heavy elements.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revte

Shell model description of normal parity bands in odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei

The low-energy spectra and B(E2) electromagnetic transition strengths of 159Eu, 159Tb and 159Dy are described using the pseudo SU(3) model. Normal parity bands are built as linear combinations of SU(3) states, which are the direct product of SU(3) proton and neutron states with pseudo spin zero (for even number of nucleons) and pseudo spin 1/2 (for odd number of nucleons). Each of the many-particle states have a well-defined particle number and total angular momentum. The Hamiltonian includes spherical Nilsson single-particle energies, the quadrupole-quadrupole and pairing interactions, as well as three rotor terms which are diagonal in the SU(3) basis. The pseudo SU(3) model is shown to be a powerful tool to describe odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, Accepted to be published in Phys. Rev.

SU(3) symmetry breaking in lower fp-shell nuclei

Results of shell-model calculations for lower fp-shell nuclei show that SU(3) symmetry breaking in this region is driven by the single-particle spin-orbit splitting. However, even though states of the yrast band exhibit SU(3) symmetry breaking, the results also show that the yrast band B(E2) values are insensitive to this fragmentation of the SU(3) symmetry; specifically, the quadrupole collectivity as measured by B(E2) transition strengths between low lying members of the yrast band remain high even though SU(3) appears to be broken. Results for $^{44,46,48}Ti$ and $^{48}Cr$ using the Kuo-Brown-3 two-body interaction are given to illustrate these observations.Comment: Updated to the published versio

Shell structure of superheavy nuclei in self-consistent mean-field models

We study the extrapolation of nuclear shell structure to the region of superheavy nuclei in self-consistent mean-field models -- the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach and the relativistic mean-field model -- using a large number of parameterizations. Results obtained with the Folded-Yukawa potential are shown for comparison. We focus on differences in the isospin dependence of the spin-orbit interaction and the effective mass between the models and their influence on single-particle spectra. While all relativistic models give a reasonable description of spin-orbit splittings, all non-relativistic models show a wrong trend with mass number. The spin-orbit splitting of heavy nuclei might be overestimated by 40%-80%. Spherical doubly-magic superheavy nuclei are found at (Z=114,N=184), (Z=120,N=172) or (Z=126,N=184) depending on the parameterization. The Z=114 proton shell closure, which is related to a large spin-orbit splitting of proton 2f states, is predicted only by forces which by far overestimate the proton spin-orbit splitting in Pb208. The Z=120 and N=172 shell closures predicted by the relativistic models and some Skyrme interactions are found to be related to a central depression of the nuclear density distribution. This effect cannot appear in macroscopic-microscopic models which have a limited freedom for the density distribution only. In summary, our findings give a strong argument for (Z=120,N=172) to be the next spherical doubly-magic superheavy nucleus.Comment: 22 pages REVTeX, 16 eps figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

A Skyrme model approach to the spin-orbit force

The spin-orbit force is a vital tool in describing finite nuclei and nucleon interactions; however its microscopic origin is not fully understood. In this paper we study a model inspired by Skyrmions which provides a classical explanation of the force. To simplify the calculations the Skyrmions are approximated as two-dimensional rigid discs which behave like quantum cogwheels

Shell-model Monte Carlo studies of fp-shell nuclei

We study the gross properties of even-even and $N=Z$ nuclei with $A=48-64$ using shell-model Monte Carlo methods. Our calculations account for all $0 \hbar \omega$ configurations in the $fp$-shell and employ the modified Kuo-Brown interaction KB3. We find good agreement with data for masses and total $B(E2)$ strengths, the latter employing effective charges $e_p=1.35e$ and $e_n=0.35e$. The calculated total Gamow-Teller strengths agree consistently with the $B(GT_+)$-values deduced from $(n,p)$ data if the shell model results are renormalized by $0.64$, as has already been established for $sd$-shell nuclei. The present calculations therefore suggest that this renormalization (i.e., $g_A=1$ in the nuclear medium) is universal.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, Caltech Preprint

Exclusive measurements of quasi-free proton scattering reactions in inverse and complete kinematics

Quasi-free scattering reactions of the type (p, 2p) were measured for the first time exclusively in complete and inverse kinematics, using a 12C beam at an energy of ~400 MeV/u as a benchmark. This new technique has been developed to study the single-particle structure of exotic nuclei in experiments with radioactive-ion beams. The outgoing pair of protons and the fragments were measured simultaneously, enabling an unambiguous identification of the reaction channels and a redundant measurement of the kinematic observables. Both valence and deeply-bound nucleon orbits are probed, including those leading to unbound states of the daughter nucleus. Exclusive (p, 2p) cross sections of 15.8(18) mb, 1.9(2) mb and 1.5(2) mb to the low-lying 0p-hole states overlapping with the ground state (3/2-) and with the bound excited states of 11B at 2.125 MeV (1/2-) and 5.02 MeV (3/2-), respectively, were determined via γ-ray spectroscopy. Particle-unstable deep-hole states, corresponding to proton removal from the 0s-orbital, were studied via the invariant-mass technique. Cross sections and momentum distributions were extracted and compared to theoretical calculations employing the eikonal formalism. The obtained results are in a good agreement with this theory and with direct-kinematics experiments. The dependence of the proton-proton scattering kinematics on the internal momentum of the struck proton and on its separation energy was investigated for the first time in inverse kinematics employing a large-acceptance measurement

The Role of Radioactivities in Astrophysics

I present both a history of radioactivity in astrophysics and an introduction to the major applications of radioactive abundances to astronomy