Effects of surface vibrations on quadrupole response of nuclei

The effect of quadrupole-type surface vibrations on the quadrupole response function of heavy nuclei is studied by using a model based on the solution of the linearized Vlasov equation with moving-surface boundary conditions. By using a separable approximation for the residual interaction, an analytical expression is obtained for the moving-surface response function. Comparison of the fixed- and moving-surface strength functions shows that surface vibrations are essential in order to achieve a unified description of the two characteristic features of the quadrupole response: the giant resonance and the low-lying states. Calculations performed by setting the surface tension equal to zero shows that the low-lying strength is strongly affected by the surface tension.Comment: Appendix added, version to be published in Nucl. Phys.

Octupole response and stability of spherical shape in heavy nuclei

The isoscalar octupole response of a heavy spherical nucleus is analyzed in a semiclassical model based on the linearized Vlasov equation. The octupole strength function is evaluated with different degrees of approximation. The zero-order fixed-surface response displays a remarkable concentration of strength in the $1\hbar\omega$ and $3\hbar\omega$ regions, in excellent agreement with the quantum single-particle response. The collective fixed-surface response reproduces both the high- and low-energy octupole rsonances, but not the low-lying $3^{-}$ collective states, while the moving-surface response function gives a good qualitative description of all the main features of the octupole response in heavy nuclei. The role of triangular nucleon orbits, that have been related to a possible instability of the spherical shape with respect to octupole-type deformations, is discussed within this model. It is found that, rather than creating instability, the triangular trajectories are the only classical orbits contributing to the damping of low-energy octupole excitations.Comment: 10 pages, Latex file, 7 ps figure

Self-consistency and collective effects in semiclassical pairing theory

A simple model, in which nuclei are represented as homogeneous spheres of symmetric nuclear matter, is used to study the effects of a self-consistent pairing interaction on the nuclear response. Effects due to the finite size of nuclei are suitably taken into account. The semiclassical equations of motion derived in a previous paper for the time-dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov problem are solved in an improved (linear) approximation in which the pairing field is allowed to oscillate and to become complex. The new solutions are in good agreement with the old ones and also with the result of well-known quantum approaches. The role of the Pauli principle in eliminating one possible set of solutions is also discussed. The pairing-field fluctuations have two main effects: they restore the particle-number symmetry which is broken in the constant-$\Delta$ approximation and introduce the possibility of collective eigenfrequencies of the system due to the pairing interaction. A numerical study with values of parameters appropriate for nuclei, shows an enhancement of the density-density strength function in the region of the low-energy giant octupole resonance, while no similar effect is present in the region of the high-energy octupole resonance and for the giant monopole and quadrupole resonances.Comment: 31 pages, 6 eps figure

Velocity dependent interactions and a new sum rule in bcc He

Recent neutron scattering experiments [PRL,{\bf 88},p.195301 (2002)] on solid $^4$He, discovered a new optic-like mode in the bcc phase. This excitation was predicted by a recently proposed model that describes the correlated atomic zero-point motion in bcc Helium in terms of dynamic electric dipole moments. Modulations of the relative phase of these dipoles between different atoms describes the anomalously soft T$_1$(110) phonon and two new optic-like modes, one of which was recently found in the neutron scattering experiments. In this work we show that the correlated dipolar interactions can be written as a velocity dependent interaction. This then results in a modified f-sum rule for the T$_1$(110) phonon, in good agreement with the recent experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Probabilistic Approach to Pattern Selection

The problem of pattern selection arises when the evolution equations have many solutions, whereas observed patterns constitute a much more restricted set. An approach is advanced for treating the problem of pattern selection by defining the probability distribution of patterns. Then the most probable pattern naturally corresponds to the largest probability weight. This approach provides the ordering principle for the multiplicity of solutions explaining why some of them are more preferable than other. The approach is applied to solving the problem of turbulent photon filamentation in resonant media.Comment: LaTex, 22 page