Combined method to extract spectroscopic information

Spectroscopic factors (SF) play an important role in nuclear physics and astrophysics. The traditional method of extracting SF from direct transfer reactions suffers from serious ambiguities. We discuss a modified method which is based on including the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC) of the overlap functions into the transfer analysis. In the modified method the contribution of the external part of the reaction amplitude, typically dominant, is fixed and the SF is determined from fitting the internal part. We illustrate the modified method with $(d,p)$ reactions on ${}^{208}{\rm Pb}, {}^{12}{\rm C}$, and ${}^{84}{\rm Se}$ targets at different energies. The modified method allows one to extract the SF, which do not depend on the shape of the single-particle nucleon-target interaction, and has the potential of improving the reliability and accuracy of the structure information. This is specially important for nuclei on dripline, where not much is known.Comment: accepted in Phys. Rev. C, 4 pages and 2 figure

Astrophysical SS factor for the 15N(p,γ)16O{}^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma){}^{16}{\rm O} reaction from RR-matrix analysis and asymptotic normalization coefficient for 16O→15N+p{}^{16}{\rm O} \to {}^{15}{\rm N} + p. Is any fit acceptable?

The $^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma)^{16}{\rm O}$ reaction provides a path from the CN cycle to the CNO bi-cycle and CNO tri-cycle. The measured astrophysical factor for this reaction is dominated by resonant capture through two strong $J^{\pi}=1^{-}$ resonances at $E_{R}= 312$ and 962 keV and direct capture to the ground state. Recently, a new measurement of the astrophysical factor for the $^{15}{\rm N}(p,\gamma)^{16}{\rm O}$ reaction has been published [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. The analysis has been done using the $R$-matrix approach with unconstrained variation of all parameters including the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC). The best fit has been obtained for the square of the ANC $C^{2}= 539.2$ fm${}^{-1}$, which exceeds the previously measured value by a factor of $\approx 3$. Here we present a new $R$-matrix analysis of the Notre Dame-LUNA data with the fixed within the experimental uncertainties square of the ANC $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. Rather than varying the ANC we add the contribution from a background resonance that effectively takes into account contributions from higher levels. Altogether we present 8 fits, five unconstrained and three constrained. In all the fits the ANC is fixed at the previously determined experimental value $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. For the unconstrained fit with the boundary condition $B_{c}=S_{c}(E_{2})$, where $E_{2}$ is the energy of the second level, we get $S(0)=39.0 \pm 1.1$ keVb and normalized ${\tilde \chi}^{2}=1.84$, i.e. the result which is similar to [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. From all our fits we get the range $33.1 \leq S(0) \leq 40.1$ keVb which overlaps with the result of [P. J. LeBlanc {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {\bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. We address also physical interpretation of the fitting parameters.Comment: Submitted to PR

Unitary correlation in nuclear reaction theory

We prove that the amplitudes for the (d,p), (d,pn) and (e,e'p) reactions determining the asymptotic behavior of the exact scattering wave functions in the corresponding channels are invariant under unitary correlation operators while the spectroscopic factors are not. Moreover, the exact reaction amplitudes are not parametrized in terms of the spectroscopic factors and cannot provide a tool to determine the spectroscopic factors.Comment: 5 page

Coulomb renormalization and ratio of proton and neutron asymptotic normalization coefficients for mirror nuclei

Asymptotic normalization coefficients (ANCs) are fundamental nuclear constants playing important role in nuclear reactions, nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics. In this paper the physical reasons of the Coulomb renormalization of the ANC are addressed. Using Pinkston-Satchler equation the ratio for the proton and neutron ANCs of mirror nuclei is obtained in terms of the Wronskians from the radial overlap functions and regular solutions of the two-body Schr\"odinger equation with the short-range interaction excluded. This ratio allows one to use microscopic overlap functions for mirror nuclei in the internal region, where they are the most accurate, to correctly predict the ratio of the ANCs for mirror nuclei, which determine the amplitudes of the tails of the overlap functions. Calculations presented for different nuclei demonstrate the Coulomb renormalization effects and independence of the ratio of the nucleon ANCs for mirror nuclei on the channel radius. This ratio is valid both for bound states and resonances. One of the goals of this paper is to draw attention on the possibility to use the Coulomb renormalized ANCs rather than the standard ones especially when the standard ANCs are too large.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figure

The Cosmological Lithium Problem Revisited

After a brief review of the cosmological lithium problem, we report a few recent attempts to find theoretical solutions by our group at Texas A&M University (Commerce & College Station). We will discuss our studies on the theoretical description of electron screening, the possible existence of parallel universes of dark matter, and the use of non-extensive statistics during the Big Bang nucleosynthesis epoch. Last but not least, we discuss possible solutions within nuclear physics realm. The impact of recent measurements of relevant nuclear reaction cross sections for the Big Bang nucleosynthesis based on indirect methods is also assessed. Although our attempts may not able to explain the observed discrepancies between theory and observations, they suggest theoretical developments that can be useful also for stellar nucleosynthesis.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. Plenary talk at the XI Latin American Symposium on Nuclear Physics and Applications, Medellin, Colombia, 30 November - 4 December 2015. AIP conference proceedings, to be publishe

Cosmological Lithium Problems

We briefly describe the cosmological lithium problems followed by a summary of our recent theoretical work on the magnitude of the effects of electron screening, the possible existence of dark matter parallel universes and the use of non-extensive (Tsallis) statistics during big bang nucleosynthesis. Solutions within nuclear physics are also discussed and recent measurements of cross-sections based on indirect experimental techniques are summarized.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, IX European Summer School on Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, St. Tecla (Catania), Italy, 17-24/Sept/201