The N=28 shell closure; from N=Z to the neutron drip line

The evolution of the N=28 neutron shell closure is studied in the N=28 isotones from neutron drip line's $^{40}$Mg to N=Z doubly magic $^{56}$Ni. It is found that the N=28 closure vanishes at Z=12 in favor of a deformed ground state. For Z=14 and Z=16 closed shell and intruder configurations are almost degenerate, leading to highly mixed ground states and to very low lying excited 0$^+$ states. For Z$>$20 the intruder states are always above the closed shell ground states. We examine their structure and their possible existence as collective yrare bands of well defined particle-hole character

Shell model study of the isobaric chains A=50, A=51 and A=52

Shell model calculations in the full pf-shell are carried out for the A=50, 51 and 52 isobars. The most frequently used effective interactions for the pf-shell, KB3 and FPD6 are revisited and their behaviour at the N=28 and Z=28 closures examined. Cures to their -relatively minor- defaults are proposed, and a new mass dependent version called KB3G is released. Energy spectra, electromagnetic transitions and moments as well as beta decay properties are computed and compared with the experiment and with the results of the earlier interactions. A high quality description is achieved. Other miscellaneous topics are addressed; the Coulomb energy differences of the yrast states of the mirror pair 51Mn-51Fe and the systematics of the magnetic moments of the N=28 isotones.Comment: 45 pages, 34 figures, Latex. Submitted for publicatio

Nuclear structure with accurate chiral perturbation theory nucleon-nucleon potential: Application to 6Li and 10B

We calculate properties of A=6 system using the accurate charge-dependent nucleon-nucleon (NN) potential at fourth order of chiral perturbation theory. By application of the ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM) and a variational calculation in the harmonic oscillator basis with basis size up to 16 hbarOmega we obtain the 6Li binding energy of 28.5(5) MeV and a converged excitation spectrum. Also, we calculate properties of 10B using the same NN potential in a basis space of up to 8 hbarOmega. Our results are consistent with results obtained by standard accurate NN potentials and demonstrate a deficiency of Hamiltonians consisting of only two-body terms. At this order of chiral perturbation theory three-body terms appear. It is expected that inclusion of such terms in the Hamiltonian will improve agreement with experiment.Comment: 9 pages, 14 figure

Shell Model Description of Isotope Shifts in Calcium

Isotope shifts in the nuclear charge radius of even and odd calcium isotopes are calculated within the nuclear shell model. The model space includes all configurations of nucleons in the $2s, 1d_{3/2}, 1f_{7/2}, {\rm and} ~2p_{3/2}$ orbits. The shell model describes well the energies of the intruder states in Sc and Ca, as well as the energies of the low-lying $2^+$ and $3^-$ states in the even Ca isotopes. The characteristic features of the isotope shifts, the parabolic dependence on $A$ and the prominent odd-even staggering, are well reproduced by the model. These features are related to the partial breakdown of the $Z = 20$ shell closure caused by promotion, due to the neutron-proton interaction, of the $ds$ shell protons into the $fp$ shell.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures include

Proton radii of 4,6,8He isotopes from high-precision nucleon-nucleon interactions

Recently, precision laser spectroscopy on 6He atoms determined accurately the isotope shift between 4He and 6He and, consequently, the charge radius of 6He. A similar experiment for 8He is under way. We have performed large-scale ab initio calculations for 4,6,8He isotopes using high-precision nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions within the no-core shell model (NCSM) approach. With the CD-Bonn 2000 NN potential we found point-proton root-mean-square (rms) radii of 4He and 6He 1.45(1) fm and 1.89(4), respectively, in agreement with experiment and predict the 8He point proton rms radius to be 1.88(6) fm. At the same time, our calculations show that the recently developed nonlocal INOY NN potential gives binding energies closer to experiment, but underestimates the charge radii.Comment: 5 pages, 9 figure

7Be(p,gamma)8B S-factor from ab initio no-core shell model wave functions

Nuclear structure of 7Be, 8B and 7,8Li is studied within the ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM). Starting from high-precision nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions, wave functions of 7Be and 8B bound states are obtained in basis spaces up to 10 hbar Omega and used to calculate channel cluster form factors (overlap integrals) of the 8B ground state with 7Be+p. Due to the use of the harmonic oscillator (HO) basis, the overlap integrals have incorrect asymptotic properties. We fix this problem in two alternative ways. First, by a Woods-Saxon (WS) potential solution fit to the interior of the NCSM overlap integrals. Second, by a direct matching with the Whittaker function. The corrected overlap integrals are then used for the 7Be(p,gamma)8B S-factor calculation. We study the convergence of the S-factor with respect to the NCSM HO frequency and the model space size. Our S-factor results are in agreement with recent direct measurement data. We also test the spectroscopic factors and the corrected overlap integrals from the NCSM in describing the momentum distributions in knockout reactions with 8B projectiles. A good agreement with the available experimental data is also found, attesting the overall consistency of the calculations.Comment: 18 pages, 26 figure

Large basis ab initio shell model investigation of 9-Be and 11-Be

We are presenting the first ab initio structure investigation of the loosely bound 11-Be nucleus, together with a study of the lighter isotope 9-Be. The nuclear structure of these isotopes is particularly interesting due to the appearance of a parity-inverted ground state in 11-Be. Our study is performed in the framework of the ab initio no-core shell model. Results obtained using four different, high-precision two-nucleon interactions, in model spaces up to 9\hbar\Omega, are shown. For both nuclei, and all potentials, we reach convergence in the level ordering of positive- and negative-parity spectra separately. Concerning their relative position, the positive-parity states are always too high in excitation energy, but a fast drop with respect to the negative-parity spectrum is observed when the model space is increased. This behavior is most dramatic for 11-Be. In the largest model space we were able to reach, the 1/2+ level has dropped down to become either the first or the second excited state, depending on which interaction we use. We also observe a contrasting behavior in the convergence patterns for different two-nucleon potentials, and argue that a three-nucleon interaction is needed to explain the parity inversion. Furthermore, large-basis calculations of 13-C and 11-B are performed. This allows us to study the systematics of the position of the first unnatural-parity state in the N=7 isotone and the A=11 isobar. The 11-B run in the 9\hbar\Omega model space involves a matrix with dimension exceeding 1.1 x 10^9, and is our largest calculation so far. We present results on binding energies, excitation spectra, level configurations, radii, electromagnetic observables, and 10-Be+n overlap functions.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures To be published in Phys. Rev. C Resubmitted version. Minor change

Quantum Chaos in A=46--50 Atomic Nuclei

The spectral statistics of low--lying states of several $fp$ shell nuclei are studied with realistic shell--model calculations. For Ca isotopes, we find significant deviations from the predictions of the random--matrix theory which suggest that some spherical nuclei are not as chaotic in nature as the conventional view assumes.Comment: 12 pages, LaTex, 2 figures available upon request, to be published in Physics Letters

A Time Dependent Multi-Determinant approach to nuclear dynamics

We study a multi-determinant approach to the time evolution of the nuclear wave functions (TDMD). We employ the Dirac variational principle and use as anzatz for the nuclear wave-function a linear combination of Slater determinants and derive the equations of motion. We demonstrate explicitly that the norm of the wave function and the energy are conserved during the time evolution. This approach is a direct generalization of the time dependent Hartree-Fock method. We apply this approach to a case study of ${}^6Li$ using the N3LO interaction renormalized to 4 major harmonic oscillator shells. We solve the TDMD equations of motion using Krylov subspace methods of Lanczos type. We discuss as an application the isoscalar monopole strength function.Comment: 38 pages, additional calculations included. Accepted for publication, Int. J. of Mod. Phys.

Triaxiality in 48Cr

Rotational behavior inducing triaxiality is discussed for 48Cr in the cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky (CNS) model, as well as in the spherical shell model. It is shown that the low-spin region up to about I=8, has a prolate well-deformed shape. At higher spins the shape is triaxial with a "negative-gamma" deformation, that is, with rotation around the classically forbidden intermediate axis. By comparing calculated B(E2)-values and spectroscopic quadrupole moments in the CNS with spherical shell model results and experimental data, the triaxial rotation around the intermediate axis is confirmed.Comment: 9 pages, including 6 figures; submitted to Physics Letters