611 research outputs found
Neutron skin of 208Pb, nuclear symmetry energy, and the parity radius experiment
A precise determination of the neutron skin thickness of a heavy nucleus sets
a basic constraint on the nuclear symmetry energy (the neutron skin thickness
is the difference of the neutron and proton rms radii of the nucleus). The
parity radius experiment (PREX) may achieve it by electroweak parity-violating
electron scattering (PVES) on 208Pb. We investigate PVES in nuclear mean field
approach to allow the accurate extraction of the neutron skin thickness of
208Pb from the parity-violating asymmetry probed in the experiment. We
demonstrate a high linear correlation between the parity-violating asymmetry
and the neutron skin thickness in successful mean field forces as the best
means to constrain the neutron skin of 208Pb from PREX, without assumptions on
the neutron density shape. Continuation of the experiment with higher precision
in the parity-violating asymmetry is motivated since the present method can
support it to constrain the density slope of the nuclear symmetry energy to new
accuracy.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, some changes in text and references, version to
appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Origin of the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb in nuclear mean-field models
We study whether the neutron skin thickness (NST) of 208Pb originates from
the bulk or from the surface of the nucleon density distributions, according to
the mean-field models of nuclear structure, and find that it depends on the
stiffness of the nuclear symmetry energy. The bulk contribution to NST arises
from an extended sharp radius of neutrons, whereas the surface contribution
arises from different widths of the neutron and proton surfaces. Nuclear models
where the symmetry energy is stiff, as typical relativistic models, predict a
bulk contribution in NST of 208Pb about twice as large as the surface
contribution. In contrast, models with a soft symmetry energy like common
nonrelativistic models predict that NST of 208Pb is divided similarly into bulk
and surface parts. Indeed, if the symmetry energy is supersoft, the surface
contribution becomes dominant. We note that the linear correlation of NST of
208Pb with the density derivative of the nuclear symmetry energy arises from
the bulk part of NST. We also note that most models predict a mixed-type
(between halo and skin) neutron distribution for 208Pb. Although the halo-type
limit is actually found in the models with a supersoft symmetry energy, the
skin-type limit is not supported by any mean-field model. Finally, we compute
parity-violating electron scattering in the conditions of the 208Pb parity
radius experiment (PREX) and obtain a pocket formula for the parity-violating
asymmetry in terms of the parameters that characterize the shape of the 208Pb
nucleon densities.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures; minor stylistic changes in text, new Ref. [56]
added (new measurement of the neutron skin thickness of 208Pb
Analysis of bulk and surface contributions in the neutron skin of nuclei
The neutron skin thickness of nuclei is a sensitive probe of the nuclear
symmetry energy having multiple implications for nuclear and astrophysical
studies. However, precision measurements of this observable are difficult. The
analysis of the experimental data may imply some assumptions about the bulk or
surface nature of the formation of the neutron skin. Here, we study the bulk or
surface character of neutron skins of nuclei following from calculations with
Gogny, Skyrme, and covariant nuclear mean-field interactions. These
interactions are successful in describing nuclear charge radii and binding
energies but predict different values for neutron skins. We perform the study
by fitting two-parameter Fermi distributions to the calculated self-consistent
neutron and proton densities. We note that the equivalent sharp radius is a
more suitable reference quantity than the half-density radius parameter of the
Fermi distributions to discern between the bulk and surface contributions in
neutron skins. We present calculations for nuclei in the stability valley and
for the isotopic chains of Sn and Pb.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Analysis of bulk and surface contributions in the neutron skin of nuclei
The neutron skin thickness of nuclei is a sensitive probe of the nuclear
symmetry energy having multiple implications for nuclear and astrophysical
studies. However, precision measurements of this observable are difficult. The
analysis of the experimental data may imply some assumptions about the bulk or
surface nature of the formation of the neutron skin. Here, we study the bulk or
surface character of neutron skins of nuclei following from calculations with
Gogny, Skyrme, and covariant nuclear mean-field interactions. These
interactions are successful in describing nuclear charge radii and binding
energies but predict different values for neutron skins. We perform the study
by fitting two-parameter Fermi distributions to the calculated self-consistent
neutron and proton densities. We note that the equivalent sharp radius is a
more suitable reference quantity than the half-density radius parameter of the
Fermi distributions to discern between the bulk and surface contributions in
neutron skins. We present calculations for nuclei in the stability valley and
for the isotopic chains of Sn and Pb.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Generic Finite Size Enhancement of Pairing in Mesoscopic Fermi Systems
The finite size dependent enhancement of pairing in mesoscopic Fermi systems
is studied under the assumption that the BCS approach is valid and that the two
body force is size independent. Different systems are investigated such as
superconducting metallic grains and films as well atomic nuclei. It is shown
that the finite size enhancement of pairing in these systems is in part due to
the presence of a surface which accounts quite well for the data of nuclei and
explains a good fraction of the enhancement in Al grains.Comment: Updated version 17/02/0
The finite range simple effective interaction including tensor terms
The prediction of single particle level crossing phenomenon between
and orbitals in - and -isotopic chains by the
finite range simple effective interaction without requiring the tensor part is
discussed. In this case the experimentally observed crossing could be studied
as a function of nuclear matter incompressibility, . The estimated
crossing for the neutron number =46 could be reproduced by the equation of
state corresponding to =240 MeV. However, the observed proton gaps
between the and shells in and isotopic chain,
and the neutron gaps between the and shells in =82
isotones, as well as the shell closure properties at =28 require explicit
consideration of a tensor part as the central contribution is not enough to
initiate the required level splittings
Reexamination of the N = 50 and Z = 28 shell closure
Recent experiments performed in neutron-rich copper isotopes have revealed a crossing in the nucleus Cu75 between the 3/2− and 5/2− levels, which correspond to the ground state and the first excited state in isotopes with mass number below A = 75. Due to the strong single-particle character of these states, this scenario can be investigated through the analysis of the proton spectrum provided by mean-field models in nickel isotopes with neutron numbers between N = 40 and N = 50. In this work, we show that the aforementioned crossing is mainly driven by the mean field provided by the effective nucleon-nucleon and spin-orbit interactions. We also analyze the impact of the tensor interaction and find that in some mean-field models it is essential to reproduce the crossing of the 2p3/2 and 1 f5/2 proton single-particle levels, as in the case of the SAMi-T Skyrme force and the D1M Gogny interaction, whereas in other cases, as for example the SLy5 Skyrme force, a reasonable tensor force appears to be unable to modify the mean-field enough to reproduce this level crossing. Finally, in the calculations performed with the so-called simple effective interaction (SEI), it is shown that the experimental data in nickel and copper isotopes considered in this work can be explained satisfactorily without any explicit consideration of the tensor interactio
Semiclassical Description of Exotic Nuclear Shapes
Exotic nuclear structures such as bubbles and tori are analyzed through
semiclassical extended Thomas-Fermi calculations with the Skyrme force SkM.
The variational equations for neutron and proton densities are solved fully
self-consistently in spherical (bubbles) and cylindrical (tori) symmetries. The
possible existence of bubble configurations in some astrophysical scenarios is
discussed. The stability of toroidal structures against change of quadrupole
moment is studied. A global minimum of the energy is found in heavyComment: 13 pages, 6 figures, Contribution to XIV Nuclear Physics Workshop at
Kazimierz Dolny, Poland, Sept. 26-29, 200
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