Dynamical properties of dipolar Fermi gases

We investigate dynamical properties of a one-component Fermi gas with dipole-dipole interaction between particles. Using a variational function based on the Thomas-Fermi density distribution in phase space representation, the total energy is described by a function of deformation parameters in both real and momentum space. Various thermodynamic quantities of a uniform dipolar Fermi gas are derived, and then instability of this system is discussed. For a trapped dipolar Fermi gas, the collective oscillation frequencies are derived with the energy-weighted sum rule method. The frequencies for the monopole and quadrupole modes are calculated, and softening against collapse is shown as the dipolar strength approaches the critical value. Finally, we investigate the effects of the dipolar interaction on the expansion dynamics of the Fermi gas and show how the dipolar effects manifest in an expanded cloud.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, submitted to New J. Phy

Quadrupole Collective Dynamics from Energy Density Functionals: Collective Hamiltonian and the Interacting Boson Model

Microscopic energy density functionals (EDF) have become a standard tool for nuclear structure calculations, providing an accurate global description of nuclear ground states and collective excitations. For spectroscopic applications this framework has to be extended to account for collective correlations related to restoration of symmetries broken by the static mean field, and for fluctuations of collective variables. In this work we compare two approaches to five-dimensional quadrupole dynamics: the collective Hamiltonian for quadrupole vibrations and rotations, and the Interacting Boson Model. The two models are compared in a study of the evolution of non-axial shapes in Pt isotopes. Starting from the binding energy surfaces of $^{192,194,196}$Pt, calculated with a microscopic energy density functional, we analyze the resulting low-energy collective spectra obtained from the collective Hamiltonian, and the corresponding IBM-2 Hamiltonian. The calculated excitation spectra and transition probabilities for the ground-state bands and the $\gamma$-vibration bands are compared to the corresponding sequences of experimental states.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev.

Hermitian boson mapping and finite truncation

Starting from a general, microscopic fermion-to-boson mapping that preserves Hermitian conjugation, we discuss truncations of the boson Fock space basis. We give conditions under which the exact boson images of finite fermion operators are also finite (e.g., a 1+2-body fermion Hamiltonian is mapped to a 1+2-body boson Hamiltonian) in the truncated basis. For the most general case, where the image is not necessarily exactly finite, we discuss how to make practical and controlled approximations.Comment: 12 pages in RevTex with no figures, Los Alamos preprint # LA-UR-94-146

Collective structural evolution in neutron-rich Yb, Hf, W, Os and Pt isotopes

An interacting boson model Hamiltonian determined from Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations with the new microscopic Gogny energy density functional D1M, is applied to the spectroscopic analysis of neutron-rich Yb, Hf, W, Os and Pt isotopes with mass $A\sim 180-200$. Excitation energies and transition rates for the relevant low-lying quadrupole collective states are calculated by this method. Transitions from prolate to oblate ground-state shapes are analyzed as a function of neutron number $N$ in a given isotopic chain by calculating excitation energies, $B$(E2) ratios, and correlation energies in the ground state. It is shown that such transitions tend to occur more rapidly for the isotopes with lower proton number $Z$, when departing from the proton shell closure Z=82. The triaxial degrees of freedom turn out to play an important role in describing the considered mass region. Predicted low-lying spectra for the neutron-rich exotic Hf and Yb isotopes are presented. The approximations used in the model and the possibilities to refine its predictive power are addressed.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Neutron star, β\beta-stable ring-diagram equation of state and Brown-Rho scaling

Neutron star properties, such as its mass, radius, and moment of inertia, are calculated by solving the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkov (TOV) equations using the ring-diagram equation of state (EOS) obtained from realistic low-momentum NN interactions $V_{low-k}$. Several NN potentials (CDBonn, Nijmegen, Argonne V18 and BonnA) have been employed to calculate the ring-diagram EOS where the particle-particle hole-hole ring diagrams are summed to all orders. The proton fractions for different radial regions of a $\beta$-stable neutron star are determined from the chemical potential conditions $\mu_n-\mu_p = \mu_e = \mu_\mu$. The neutron star masses, radii and moments of inertia given by the above potentials all tend to be too small compared with the accepted values. Our results are largely improved with the inclusion of medium corrections based on Brown-Rho scaling where the in-medium meson masses, particularly those of $\omega$, $\rho$ and $\sigma$, are slightly decreased compared with their in-vacuum values. Representative results using such medium corrected interactions are neutron star mass $M\sim 1.8 M_{\odot}$, radius $R\sim 9$ km and moment of inertia $\sim 60 M_{\odot}km^2$. The mass-radius trajectories given by the above four realistic NN potentials are by and large overlapping.Comment: 12.7 pages, 13 figures, 3 table

Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory with finite range pairing forces in coordinate space: Neutron halo in light nuclei

The Relativistic Hartree Bogoliubov (RHB) model is applied in the self-consistent mean-field approximation to the description of the neutron halo in the mass region above the s-d shell. Pairing correlations and the coupling to particle continuum states are described by finite range two-body forces. Finite element methods are used in the coordinate space discretization of the coupled system of Dirac-Hartree-Bogoliubov integro-differential eigenvalue equations, and Klein-Gordon equations for the meson fields. Calculations are performed for the isotopic chains of Ne and C nuclei. We find evidence for the occurrence of neutron halo in heavier Ne isotopes. The properties of the 1f-2p orbitals near the Fermi level and the neutron pairing interaction play a crucial role in the formation of the halo. Our calculations display no evidence for the neutron halo phenomenon in C isotopes.Comment: 7 pages, Latex, 5 P.S. Figures, To appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Separable approximation to two-body matrix elements

Two-body matrix elements of arbitrary local interactions are written as the sum of separable terms in a way that is well suited for the exchange and pairing channels present in mean-field calculations. The expansion relies on the transformation to center of mass and relative coordinate (in the spirit of Talmi's method) and therefore it is only useful (finite number of expansion terms) for harmonic oscillator single particle states. The converge of the expansion with the number of terms retained is studied for a Gaussian two body interaction. The limit of a contact (delta) force is also considered. Ways to handle the general case are also discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures (for high resolution versions of some of the figures contact the author

The tensor part of the Skyrme energy density functional. I. Spherical nuclei

We perform a systematic study of the impact of the J^2 tensor term in the Skyrme energy functional on properties of spherical nuclei. In the Skyrme energy functional, the tensor terms originate both from zero-range central and tensor forces. We build a set of 36 parameterizations, which covers a wide range of the parameter space of the isoscalar and isovector tensor term coupling constants, with a fit protocol very similar to that of the successful SLy parameterizations. We analyze the impact of the tensor terms on a large variety of observables in spherical mean-field calculations, such as the spin-orbit splittings and single-particle spectra of doubly-magic nuclei, the evolution of spin-orbit splittings along chains of semi-magic nuclei, mass residuals of spherical nuclei, and known anomalies of charge radii. Our main conclusion is that the currently used central and spin-orbit parts of the Skyrme energy density functional are not flexible enough to allow for the presence of large tensor terms.Comment: 38 pages, 36 figures; Minor correction