Theoretical understanding of the nuclear incompressibility: where do we stand ?

The status of the theoretical research on the compressional modes of finite nuclei and the incompressibility $K_\infty$ of nuclear matter, is reviewed. It is argued that the recent experimental data on the Isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance (ISGMR) allow extracting the value of $K_\infty$ with an uncertainity of about $\pm$ 12 MeV. Non-relativistic (Skyrme, Gogny) and relativistic mean field models predict for $K_\infty$ values which are significantly different from one another, namely $\approx$ 220-235 and $\approx$ 250-270 MeV respectively. It is shown that the solution of this puzzle requires a better determination of the symmetry energy at, and around, saturation. The role played by the experimental data of the Isoscalar Giant Dipole Resonance (ISGDR) is also discussed.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the COMEX1 conference (special issue of Nucl. Phys. A). Few changes and corrections compared to the previous version. General conclusion unchange

Equation of state in the inner crust of neutron stars: discusion of the unbound neutron states

In this paper, we calculate the stable Wigner-Seitz (W-S) cells in the inner crust of neutron stars and we discuss the nuclear shell effects. A distinction is done between the shell effects due to the bound states and those induced by the unbound states, which are shown to be spurious. We then estimate the effects of the spurious shells on the total energy and decompose it into a smooth and a residual part. We propose a correction to the Hartree-Fock binding energy in Wigner-Seitz cell (HF-WS).Comment: conference EXOCT07, Catania, 11-15 June, 200

Proton decay of high-lying states in odd nuclei

In the framework of the quasiparticle-phonon model, we study the non-statistical proton decay of excited states in odd nuclei towards low-lying collective states. Partial cross sections and branching ratios for the proton decay of the high angular momentum states in $^{41}$Sc, $^{59}$Cu and $^{91}$Nb %{\it excited by means of the ($^{7}$Li,$^{6}$He) reaction} are evaluated. The calculated branching ratios predict strong direct proton decays to the low-lying vibrational states in $^{41}$Sc and $^{91}$Nb. A general agreement with existing experimental data is found.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, Latex, accepted for publication in Nucl. Phys.

Pairing interactions and the vanishing pairing correlations in hot nuclei

Finite temperature Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations are performed in Sn isotopes using Skyrme and zero-range, density-dependent pairing interactions. For both stable and very neutron-rich nuclei the critical temperature at which pairing correlations vanish is independent of the volume/surface nature of the pairing interaction. The value of the critical temperature follows approximatively the empirical rule T$_c$ $\simeq$ 0.5 $\Delta_{T=0}$ for all the calculated isotopes, showing that the critical temperature could be deduced from the pairing gap at zero temperature. On the other hand, the pairing gap at temperatures just below T$_c$ is strongly sensitive to the volume/surface nature of the pairing interaction.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures revised versio

Treatment of pairing correlations in nuclei close to drip lines

We discuss the HFB equations in coordinate representation,a suitable method for handling the full effects of the continuous quasiparticle spectrum. We show how the continuum HFB equations can be solved with the correct asymptotic conditions instead of the discretization conditions which are commonly used in the literature. The continuum HFB method is illustrated with a model where the mean field and pairing field have simple forms. The relationship with the continuum Hartree-Fock-BCS (HF-BCS) approximation is also discussed. Realistic HFB and HF-BCS calculations based on Skyrme interactions are compared for the case of a neutron-rich nucleus.Comment: 12 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses KapProc.cls, to appear in Proceedings of NATO School " Nuclei far from stability and astrophysics", Predeal, Romania, 200

Convergence of Particle-Hole Expansions for the Description of Nuclear Correlations

The convergence properties of a multiparticle-multihole (mp-mh) configuration mixing approach whose purpose is to describe ground state correlations in nuclei without particle number and Pauli violations is investigated in the case of an exactly solvable pairing hamiltonian. Two different truncation schemes are tested by looking at quantities as correlation energies and single-particle occupation probabilities. Results show that pairing correlations present in usual superfluid nuclei can be accurately described using up to 6 particle-6 hole excitations, a convergence fast enought for envisaging extensions to fully microscopic calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Superfluid Properties of the Inner Crust of Neutron Stars

Superfluid properties of the inner crust matter of neutron stars, formed by nuclear clusters immersed in a dilute neutron gas, are analysed in a self- consistent HFB approach. The calculations are performed with two pairing forces, fixed so as to obtain in infinite nuclear matter the pairing gaps provided by the Gogny force or by induced interactions. It is shown that the nuclear clusters can either suppress or enhance the pairing correlations inside the inner crust matter, depending on the density of the surrounding neutrons. The profile of the pairing field in the inner crust is rather similar for both pairing forces, but the values of the pairing gaps are drastically reduced for the force which simulates the polarisation effects in infinite neutron matter.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. Corrected typos and new format. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Effects of the tensor force on the ground and first 2+2^{+} states of the magic 54^{54}Ca nucleus

The magic nature of the $^{54}$Ca nucleus is investigated in the light of the recent experimental results. We employ both HFB and HF+BCS methods using Skyrme-type SLy5, SLy5+T and T44 interactions. The evolution of the single-particle spectra is studied for the N=34 isotones: $^{60}$Fe, $^{58}$Cr, $^{56}$Ti and $^{54}$Ca. An increase is obtained in the neutron spin-orbit splittings of $p$ and $f$ states due to the effect of the tensor force which also makes $^{54}$Ca a magic nucleus candidate. QRPA calculations on top of HF+BCS are performed to investigate the first $J^{\pi}$=$2^{+}$ states of the calcium isotopic chain. A good agreement for excitation energies is obtained when we include the tensor force in the mean-field part of the calculations. The first $2^{+}$ states indicate a subshell closure for both $^{52}$Ca and $^{54}$Ca nuclei. We confirm that the tensor part of the interaction is quite essential in explaining the neutron subshell closure in $^{52}$Ca and $^{54}$Ca nuclei.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Neutrino propagation in Neutron Matter and the Nuclear Equation of State

We study the propagation of neutrinos inside dense matter under the conditions prevailing in a proto-neutron star. Equations of state obtained with different nuclear effective interactions (Skyrme type and Gogny type) are first discussed. It is found that for many interactions, spin and/or isospin instabilities occur at densities larger than the saturation density of nuclear matter. From this study we select two representative interactions, SLy230b and D1P. We calculate the response functions in pure neutron matter where nuclear correlations are described at the Hartree-Fock plus RPA level. These response functions allow us to evaluate neutrino mean free paths corresponding to neutral current processes.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, to appear in "The Nuclear Many-Body Problem 2001", NATO Science Series II (Kluwer Academic Publishers

Influence of complex configurations on properties of pygmy dipole resonance in neutron-rich Ca isotopes

Starting from the quasiparticle random phase approximation based on the Skyrme interaction SLy5, we study the effects of phonon-phonon coupling~(PPC) on the low-energy electric dipole response in $^{40-58}$Ca. Using the same set of parameters we describe available experimental data for $^{40,44,48}$Ca and give prediction for $^{50-58}$Ca. The inclusion of the PPC results in the formation of low-energy $1^-$ states. There is an impact of the PPC effect on low-energy $E1$~strength of $^{40,44,48}$Ca. The PPC effect on the electric dipole polarizability is discussed. We predict a strong increase of the summed $E1$~strength below 10MeV, with increasing neutron number from $^{48}$Ca till $^{58}$Ca.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure