In order to explore the 4 α-particle condensate state in 16O, we solve a full four-body equation of motion based on the 4 αOCM (Orthogonality Condition Model) in a large 4 αmodel space spanned by Gaussian basis functions. A full spectrum up to the 0_6^+ state is reproduced consistently with the lowest six 0^+ states of the experimental spectrum. The 0^+_6 state is obtained at about 2 MeV above the 4 αbreakup threshold and has a dilute density structure, with a radius of about 5 fm. The state has an appreciably large αcondensate fraction of 61 %, and a large component of α+12C(0_2^+) configuration, both features being reliable evidence for this state to be of 4 αcondensate nature.
Two different types of orthogonality condition models (OCM) are equivalently formulated in the Faddeev formalism. One is the OCM which uses pairwise orthogonality conditions for the relative motion of clusters, and the other is the one which uses the orthogonalizing pseudo-potential method. By constructing a redundancy-free T-matrix, one can exactly eliminate the redundant components of the total wave function for the harmonic-oscillator Pauli-forbidden states, without introducing any limiting procedure. As an example, a three-alpha-particle model interacting via the deep alpha alpha potential…
A round up of the present status of the conjecture that n alpha nuclei form an alpha-particle condensate in excited states close to the n alpha threshold is given. Experiments which could demonstrate the condensate character are proposed. Possible lines of further theoretical developments are discussed.
In this article we review the present status of alpha clustering in nuclear systems. First of all, an important aspect is condensation in nuclear matter. Second, the alpha container model, recently been proposed by Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Roepke (THSR), will be outlined and the ensuing condensate aspect of the Hoyle state at 7.65 MeV in 12C will be investigated in some detail. After 15 years since the proposal of the alpha condensation concept a critical assessment of this idea will be given. Alpha gas states in other nuclei like 16O and 13C will be considered. The THSR wave function can also …
We discuss the treatment of isovector pairing by an alpha-like quartet condensate which conserves exactly the particle number, the spin and the isospin. The results show that the quartet condensate describes accurately the isovector pairing correlations in the ground state of systems with an equal number of protons and neutrons
The onset of quartetting, i.e. alpha-particle condensation, in symmetric nuclear matter is studied with the help of an in-medium modified four nucleon equation. It is found that at very low density quartetting wins over pairing, because of the strong binding of the alpha-particles. The critical temperature can reach values up to around 6 MeV. Also the disappearance of alpha-particles with increasing density, i.e. the Mott transition, is investigated. In finite nuclei the Hoyle state, that is the 0_2^+ of 12C, is identified as an "alpha-particle condensate" state. It is conjectured that such st…
It is shown that a dilute property of an $α$ particle condensate can be seen in the Airy structure of nuclear rainbow and prerainbow scattering. The dilute property of the Hoyle state of $^{12}$C with a developed $α$ cluster structure is discussed by studying refractive $^3$He+$^{12}$C and $α$+$^{12}$C scattering.
The equation of state and phase diagram of isospin-symmetric chemically equilibrated mixture of alpha particles and nucleons are studied in the mean-field approximation. The model takes into account the effects of Fermi and Bose statistics for nucleons and alphas, respectively. We use Skyrme-like parametrization of the mean-field potentials as functions of partial densities, which contain both attractive and repulsive terms. Parameters of these potentials are chosen by fitting known properties of pure nucleon- and pure alpha matter at zero temperature. The sensitivity of results to the choice …
Bose-Einstein condensation of alpha clusters in light and medium-heavy nuclei is studied in the frame of the field theoretical superfluid cluster model. The order parameter of the phase transition from the Wigner phase to the Nambu-Goldstone phase is a superfluid amplitude, square of the moduli of which is the superfluid density distribution. The zero mode operators due to the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the global phase in the finite number of alpha clusters are rigorously treated. The theory is systematically applied to N alpha nuclei from12C-52Fe at various condensation rates. In 12C i…
A new $α$-cluster wave function is proposed which is of the $α$-particle condensate type. Applications to $^{12}$C and $^{16}$O show that states of low density close to the 3 resp. 4 $α$-particle threshold in both nuclei are possibly of this kind. It is conjectured that all self-conjugate 4$n$ nuclei may show similar features.
Systems of Bose particles with both repulsive and attractive interactions are studied using the Skyrme-like mean-field model. The phase diagram of such systems exhibits two special lines in the chemical potential-temperature plane: one line which represents the first-order liquid-gas phase transition with the critical end point, and another line which represents the onset of Bose-Einstein condensation. The calculations are made for strongly-interacting matter composed of alpha particles. The phase diagram of this matter is qualitatively similar to that observed for the atomic He4 liquid. The s…
Ground-state properties of finite drops of alpha particles (Q-balls) are studied within a field-theoretical approach in the mean-field approximation. The strong interaction of alphas is described by the scalar field with a sextic Skyrme-like potential. The radial profiles of scalar- and Coulomb fields are found by solving the coupled system of Klein-Gordon and Poisson equations. The formation of shell-like nuclei, with vanishing density around the center, is predicted at high enough attractive strength of Skyrme potential. The equilibrium values of energy and baryon number of Q-balls and Q-she…
The 4-alpha condensate state for ^{16}O is discussed with the THSR (Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Roepke) wave function which has alpha-particle condensate character. Taking into account a proper treatment of resonances, it is found that the 4-alpha THSR wave function yields a fourth 0^+ state in the continuum above the 4-alpha-breakup threshold in addition to the three 0^+ states obtained in a previous analysis. It is shown that this fourth 0^+ ((0_4^+)_{THSR}) state has an analogous structure to the Hoyle state, since it has a very dilute density and a large component of alpha+^{12}C(0_2^+) config…
We propose a simple quartet condensation model (QCM) which describes with very high accuracy the isovector pairing correlations in self-conjugate nuclei. The quartets have an alpha-like structure and are formed by collective isovector pairs. The accuracy of the QCM is tested for N=Z nuclei for which exact shell model diagonalizations can be performed. The calculations are done with two isovector pairing forces, one extracted from standard shell model interactions and the other of seniority type, acting, respectively, upon spherical and axially-deformed single-particle states. It is shown that …
Alpha clustering and alpha condensation in lighter nuclei is presently strongly and increasingly discussed in the literature both from the experimental side as from the theoretical one. A discussion of the present status of the theory as well as outlooks for future developements will be presented.
The theory of quartet condensation is further developed. The onset of quartetting in homgeneous fermionic matter is studied with the help of an in-medium modified four fermion equation. It is found that at very low density quartetting wins over pairing. At zero temperature, in analogy to pairing, a set of equations for the quartet order parameter is given. Contrary to pairing, quartetting only exists for strong coupling and breaks down for weak coupling. Reasons for this finding are detailed. In an application to nuclear matter, the critical temperature for alpha particle condensation can reac…
At low densities, with decreasing temperatures, in symmetric nuclear matter alpha-particles are formed, which eventually give raise to a quantum condensate with four-nucleon alpha-like correlations (quartetting). Starting with a model of alpha-matter, where undistorted alpha particles interact via an effective interaction such as the Ali-Bodmer potential, the suppression of the condensate fraction at zero temperature with increasing density is considered. Using a Jastrow-Feenberg approach, it is found that the condensate fraction vanishes near saturation density. Additionally, the modification…
Observed well-developed $α$ cluster states in $^{16}$O, located above the four $α$ threshold, are investigated from the viewpoint of Bose-Einstein condensation of $α$ clusters by using a field-theoretical superfluid cluster model in which the order parameter is defined. The experimental energy levels are reproduced well for the first time by calculation. In particular, the observed 16.7 MeV $0_7^+$ and 18.8 MeV $0_8^+$ states with low-excitation energies from the threshold are found to be understood as a manifestation of the states of the Nambu-Goldstone zero-mode operators, associated with th…
Certain aspects of the recently proposed antisymmetrised alpha particle product state wave function, or THSR alpha cluster wave function, for the description of the ground state in 8Be, the Hoyle state in 12C, and analogous states in heavier nuclei, are elaborated in detail. For instance, the influence of antisymmetrisation in the Hoyle state on the bosonic character of the alpha particles is studied carefully. It is shown to be weak, so that bosonic aspects are predominant. The de Broglie wave length of alpha particles in the Hoyle state is shown to be much larger than the inter-alpha distanc…
When the density of a nuclear system is decreased, homogeneous states undergo the so-called Mott transition towards clusterised states, e.g. alpha clustering, both in nuclei and in nuclear matter. Here we investigate such a quantum phase transition (QPT) by using microscopic energy density functional (EDF) calculations both with the relativistic and the Gogny approaches on the diluted $^{16}$O nucleus. The evolution of the corresponding single-particle spectrum under dilution is studied, and a Mott-like transition is predicted at about 1/3 of the saturation density. Complementary approaches ar…
The formation of alpha-clusters in nuclei close to the decay thresholds is discussed. These states can be considered to be boson-condensates, which are formed in a second order phase transition in a mixture of nucleons and alpha-particles. The de Broglie wavelength of the alpha-particles is larger than the nuclear diameter, therefore the coherent properties of the alpha-particles give particular effects for the study of such states. The states are above the thresholds thus the enhanced emission of multiple-alphas into the same direction is observed. The probability for the emission of multiple…
A comparison of pairing properties in cuprates and nuclear matter is briefly discussed. Quartet (alpha-particle) condensation is a very important aspect of nuclear physics. The physics of the Hoyle state in 12 C will be outlined and its crucial role for the existence of life on earth explained.
The states with $J^π=0^+$, $2^+$, and $4^+$ of $^{12}$C with excitation energies less than about 15 MeV are investigated with the alpha condensate wave function with spatial deformation and by using the method of ACCC (analytic continuation in the coupling constant) which is necessary for a proper treatment of resonance states. The calculated energy and width of the recently observed $2_2^+$ state are found to be well reproduced. The obtained $2_2^+$ wave function has a large overlap with a single condensate wave function of $3α$ gas-like structure. The density distribution is shown to be almo…
The structure of $1/2^{\pm}$ states in $^{13}$C up to around the $3α+n$ threshold ($E_x = 12.3$~MeV) is investigated with a full four-body $3α+n$ orthogonality condition model (OCM) calculation, where the $3α$ OCM, the model space of which is the subspace of the $3α+n$ model, describes well the structure of the low-lying states of $^{12}$C including the $2^{+}_2$, $0^{+}_3$, and $0^{+}_4$ states, which have been recently observed above the Hoyle state ($0^+_2$). A full spectrum up to the $1/2^{-}_5$ ($1/2^{+}_3$) state is reproduced consistently with the lowest five $1/2^{-}$ (three $1/2^{+}$)…
It is suggested that direct evidence of Bose-Einstein condensation of alpha particles is obtained by observing a phase mode (Nambu-Goldstone boson) with long wavelength even when characteristic features such as superfluidity is diffucult to observe. For the 7.65 MeV $0_2^+$ Hoyle state in $^{12}$C and 15.1 MeV $0^+$ state in $^{16}$O, which are candidates for an alpha particle condensate, it is suggested that the emergent band head $0^+$ state of the $K=0_2^+$ rotational band with a very large moment of inertia is considered to be a Nambu-Goldstone boson.
$^3$He+$^{12}$C scattering is studied in a coupled channel method by using a double folding model with microscopic wave functions of $^{12}$C. Experimental angular distributions in elastic and inelastic scattering to the $2^+$ (4.44 MeV), 0$^+_2$ (7.65 MeV) and 3$^-$ (9.63 MeV) states of $^{12}$C are well reproduced. It is found that the Airy minimum of the prerainbow oscillations for the Hoyle state is considerably shifted to a larger angle due to its dilute density distribution compared with that of the normal ground state in agreement with the idea of $α$ particle condensation.
Angular distributions for elastic and inelastic scattering of $^3$He from $^{12}$C were measured at energies 50.5 and 60 MeV. The Airy minimum of the prerainbow scattering was clearly observed in the angular distributions for the 0$_2^+$ (7.65 MeV) state of $^{12}$C (Hoyle state). The experimental results were analyzed with a coupled channels method with double folding potentials derived from the microscopic wave functions for the ground 0$_1^+$, 2$^+$ (4.44 MeV), 3$^-$ (9.64 MeV) and 0$_2^+$ states. The analysis supports the view that the Hoyle state is a three alpha particle condensate with …
It is proved that alpha-particle states are well described by the Elliott SU(3) model. This result is used to analyze the alpha-particle condensation effect. It is shown that these states possess the basic attributes of the alpha-condensate and, also, the normal nuclear density on frequent occasions. The statistics of alpha-particles (and of arbitrary composite bosons) turns out to be something other than the Bose-Einstein, Fermi-Dirac statistics, and parastatistics.
The present understanding of the structure of the Hoyle state in 12C is reviewed. Most of the theoretical approaches to the Hoyle state are shortly summarized. The corresponding results are analyzed with respect to whether they give evidence to the alpha particle condensation structure of the Hoyle state (and other Hoyle-like states in heavier self-conjugate nuclei) or not.
Method: To examine signatures of this alpha-condensation, a compound nucleus reaction using 160, 280, and 400 MeV 16O beams impinging on a carbon target was used to investigate the 12C(16O,7a) reaction. This permits a search for near-threshold states in the alpha-conjugate nuclei up to 24Mg. Results: Events up to an alpha-particle multiplicity of 7 were measured and the results were compared to both an Extended Hauser-Feshbach calculation and the Fermi break-up model. The measured multiplicity distribution exceeded that predicted from a sequential decay mechanism and had a better agreement wit…
The phase diagram of isospin-symmetric chemically equilibrated mixture of alpha particles and nucleons is studied in the mean-field approximation. Skyrme-like parametrization is used for the mean-field potentials as functions of partial densities of nucleons and alphas. We find that there is a threshold value a* of the parameter a(N-alpha) which describes the attractive interaction between alpha-particles and nucleons. At a(N-alpha)<a* the ground state of nuclear matter at zero temperature behaves as a pure system of interacting nucleons, whereas at a(N-alpha)>a* the nuclear ground state inclu…
We study the competition between alpha-type and conventional pair condensation in the ground state of nuclei with neutrons and protons interacting via a charge-independent pairing interaction. The ground state is described by a product of two condensates, one of alpha-like quartets and the other one of pairs in excess relative to the isotope with N=Z. It is shown that this ansatz for the ground state gives very accurate pairing correlation energies for nuclei with the valence nucleons above the closed cores 16O, 40Ca and 100Sn. These results indicate that alpha-type correlations are important …
In order to study non-zero spin excitations of the recently proposed alpha-cluster condensation in the self-conjugate 4n nuclei, spatial deformation is introduced into the model wave function of the alpha-cluster condensate. The rotational band states of 8Be are investigated as a first step of a test case for the study of the deformation of the alpha-cluster condensate. Calculations reproduce well the binding energy of the 0+ ground state and also the excitation energy of the 2+ state. Our 0+ wave function is found to be almost exactly equal to the 0+ wave function obtained by the generator co…
Alpha-particle (quartet) condensation in homogeneous spin-isospin symmetric nuclear matter is investigated. The usual Thouless criterion for the critical temperature is extended to the quartet case. The in-medium four-body problem is strongly simplified by the use of a momentum projected mean field ansatz for the quartet. The self-consistent single particle wave functions are shown and discussed for various values of the density at the critical temperature.
We investigate the quartet correlations in four-component fermionic systems at the thermodynamic limit within a variational many-body theory. The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS)-type variational wave function is extended to the systems with the coexistence of pair and quartet correlations at zero temperature. Special attention is paid to the application of the present framework to an alpha-particle condensation in symmetric nuclear matter, where the coexistence of deuteron and alpha condensations is anticipated. We also discuss how physical properties, such as quasiparticle dispersion, can be …
In a recent paper, arXiv0712.1191 [nucl-th], Zinner and Jensen (ZJ) expressed strong doubts about the concept of alpha-particle condensation in finite nuclei. In this article we give a reply which, essentially, is point by point (but not in the order).
The $α$-particle condensate in nuclei is a novel state described by a product state of $α$'s, all with their c.o.m. in the lowest 0S orbit. We demonstrate that a typical $α$-particle condensate is the Hoyle state ($E_{x}=7.65$ MeV, $0^+_2$ state in $^{12}$C), which plays a crucial role for the synthesis of $^{12}$C in the universe. The influence of antisymmentrization in the Hoyle state on the bosonic character of the $α$ particle is discussed in detail. It is shown to be weak. The bosonic aspects in the Hoyle state, therefore, are predominant. It is conjectured that $α$-particle condensate st…
The equation of state and phase diagram of strongly interacting matter composed of $α$ particles are studied in the mean-field approximation. The particle interactions are included via a Skyrme-like mean field, containing both attractive and repulsive terms. The model parameters are found by fitting known values of binding energy and baryon density in the ground state of $α$ matter, obtained from microscopic calculations by Clark and Wang. Thermodynamic quantities of $α$ matter are calculated in the broad domains of temperature and baryon density, which can be reached in heavy-ion collisions a…
Our present understanding of the structure of the Hoyle state in $^{12}$C and other near-threshold states in $α$-conjugate nuclei is reviewed in the framework of the $α$-condensate model. The $^{12}$C Hoyle state, in particular, is a candidate for $α$-condensation, due to its large radius and $α$-cluster structure. The predicted features of nuclear $α$-particle condensates are reviewed along with a discussion of their experimental indicators, with a focus on precision break-up measurements. Two experiments are discussed in detail, firstly concerning the break-up of $^{12}$C and then the decays…
Four-particle correlations in fermion systems at finite temperatures are investigated with special attention to the formation of a condensate. Instead of the instability of the normal state with respect to the onset of pairing described by the Gorkov equation, a new equation is obtained which describes the onset of quartetting. Within a model calculation for symmetric nuclear matter, we find that below a critical density, the four-particle condensation (alpha-like quartetting) is favored over deuteron condensation (triplet pairing). This pairing-quartetting competition is expected to be a gene…
