Weak-interaction rates, including beta-decay and electron capture, are studied in several odd-A nuclei in the pf-shell region at various densities and temperatures of astrophysical interest. Special attention is paid to the relative contribution to these rates of thermally populated excited states in the decaying nucleus. The nuclear structure involved in the weak processes is studied within a quasiparticle random-phase approximation with residual interactions in both particle-hole and particle-particle channels on top of a deformed Skyrme Hartree-Fock mean field with pairing correlations. In the range of densities and temperatures considered, it is found that the total rates do not differ much from the rates of the ground state fully populated. In any case, the changes are not larger than the uncertainties due to the nuclear model dependence of the rates.
Conflicting coupling of unpaired nucleons in the odd-odd nuclei is discussed. A very simple explanation is suggested for the damping of the energy spacing of the lowest levels in the rotational bands in the odd-odd nuclei in the case of a "conflicting" coupling of the odd proton and neutron comparative to those of the bands based on the state of the strongly-coupled particle in the neighbouring odd nuclei entering the "conflicting" configuration.
Some binding-energy-related quantities serving as effective order parameters have been used to analyze the shape phase transition in the odd Sm nuclei. It is found that the signals of phase transition in the odd Sm nuclei are greatly enhanced in contrast to the even Sm nuclei. A further analysis shows that the transitional behaviors related to pairing in the Sm nuclei can be well described by the mean field plus pairing interaction model, with a monotonic decrease in the pairing strength $G$.
After identifying the nuclei in the regions near A =80 and A = 160 for which beta-decay rates have the greatest effect on weak and main r-process abundance patterns, we apply the finite-amplitude method (FAM) with Skyrme energy-density functionals (EDFs) to calculate beta-decay half-lives of those nuclei in the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA). We use the equal filling approximation to extend our implementation of the charge-changing FAM, which incorporates pairing correlations and allows axially symmetric deformation, to odd-A and odd-odd nuclei. Within this framework we find d…
We present a systematic analysis of the description of odd nuclei by the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach augmented with pairing in BCS approximation and blocking of the odd nucleon. Current and spin densities in the Skyrme functional produce time-odd mean fields (TOMF) for odd nuclei. Their effect on basic properties (binding energies, odd-even staggering, separation energies and spectra) is investigated for the three Skyrme parameterizations SkI3, SLy6, and SV-bas. About 1300 spherical and axially-deformed odd nuclei with 16 < Z < 92 are considered. The calculations demonstrate that the TOMF eff…
We investigate the importance of proton capture on low-lying excited states that are thermally excited in hot stellar environments. In addition to the previously known case of $^{32}$Cl$(p,γ)^{33}$Ar we find several other sd-shell nuclei with large stellar enhancement factors. We discuss the uncertainty this introduces into rp-process nucleosynthesis.
The electric dipole moments (EDMs) of neutron-odd nuclei with even protons are systematically evaluated. We first derive the relation between the EDM and the magnetic moment operators by making use of the core polarization scheme. This relation enables us to calculate the EDM of neutron-odd nuclei without any free parameters. From this calculation, one may find the best atomic system suitable for future EDM experiments.
We use the finite amplitude method (FAM), an efficient implementation of the quasiparticle random phase approximation, to compute beta-decay rates with Skyrme energy-density functionals for 3983 nuclei, essentially all the medium-mass and heavy isotopes on the neutron rich side of stability. We employ an extension of the FAM that treats odd-mass and odd-odd nuclear ground states in the equal filling approximation. Our rates are in reasonable agreement both with experimental data where available and with rates from other global calculations.
The nuclear shell model assumes an effective mean-field plus interaction Hamiltonian in a specific configuration space. We want to understand how various interaction matrix elements affect the observables, the collectivity in nuclei and the nuclear level density for odd-A and odd-odd nuclei. Using the sd and pf shells, we vary specific groups of matrix elements and study the evolution of energy levels, transition rates and the level density. In all cases studied, a transition between a "normal" and a collective phase is induced, accompanied by an enhancement of the level density in the collect…
Two types of average neutron-proton interaction formulas are compared: In the first type, neutron-proton interactions for even-even and odd-$A$ nuclei extracted from experimental binding energies show a smooth behavior as a function of mass number $A$ and are dominated by the contribution from the symmetry energy. Whereas in the second type large systematic staggering is seen between even-$A$ and odd-$A$ nuclei. This deviation is understood in term of the additional neutron-proton interaction in odd-odd nuclei relative to the neighboring even-even and odd-$A$ systems. We explore three possible…
The iterative quasi-particle-random-phase approximation (QRPA) method we previously developed to accurately calculate properties of individual nuclear states is extended so that it can be applied for nuclei with odd numbers of neutrons and protons. The approach is based on the proton-neutron-QRPA (pnQRPA) and uses an iterative non-hermitian Arnoldi diagonalization method where the QRPA matrix does not have to be explicitly calculated and stored. The method is used to calculate excitation energies of proton-neutron multiplets for several nuclei. The influence of a pairing interaction in the $T=…
We study the interplay between the isoscalar (T=0) and isovector (T=1) pairing correlations in N=Z odd-odd nuclei from 14N to 58Cu by using three-body model calculations. The strong spin-triplet T=0 pairing correlation dominates in the ground state of 14N, 18F, 30P, and 58Cu with the spin-parity J^π=1+, which can be well reproduced by the present calculations. The magnetic dipole and Gamow-Teller transitions are found to be strong in 18F and 42Sc as a manifestation of SU(4) symmetry in the spin-isospin space. We also discuss the spin-quadrupole transitions in these nuclei.
Quantum shape-phase transitions in odd-even nuclei are investigated in the framework of the interacting boson-fermion model. Classical and quantum analysis show that the presence of the odd fermion strongly influences the location and nature of the phase transition, especially near the critical point. Experimental evidence for the occurrence of spherical to axially-deformed transitions in odd-proton nuclei Pm, Eu and Tb (Z=61, 63, 65) is presented.
Chiral rotation observed in $^{128}$Cs is studied using the newly developed microscopic triaxial projected shell model (TPSM) approach. The observed energy levels and the electromagnetic transition probabilities of the nearly degenerate chiral dipole bands in this isotope are well reproduced by the present model. This demonstrates the broad applicability of the TPSM approach, based on a schematic interaction and angular-momentum projection technique, to explain a variety of low- and high-spin phenomena in triaxial rotating nuclei.
The first excited 2+ energy states of nuclei give many substantial information related to the nuclear structure. Including these levels, all excited states of nuclei are shown regularities in spin, parity and energy. In the even-even nuclei, the first excited state is generally 2+ and the energy values of them increase as the closed shells are approached. The excited levels in nuclei can be investigated by using theoretical nuclear models such nuclear shell model. In the present study for the first time, we have used artificial neural networks for the determination of the energies of first 2+ …
The quartet condensation model (QCM) is extended for the treatment of isovector and isoscalar pairing in odd-odd N=Z nuclei. In the extended QCM approach the lowest states of isospin T=1 and T=0 in odd-odd nuclei are described variationally by trial functions composed by a proton-neutron pair appended to a condensate of 4-body operators. The latter are taken as a linear superposition of an isovector quartet, built by two isovector pairs coupled to the total isospin T=0, and two collective isoscalar pairs. In all pairs the nucleons are distributed in time-reversed single-particle states of axia…
Masses of superheavy (SH) nuclei with $Z=98-128$, including odd and odd-odd nuclei, are systematically calculated within the microscopic-macroscopic model based on the deformed Woods-Saxon potential. Ground states are found by minimizing energy over deformations and configurations. Pairing in odd particle-number systems is treated either by blocking or by adding the BCS energy of the odd quasiparticle. Three new parameters are introduced which may be interpreted as the constant mean pairing energies for even-odd, odd-even and odd-odd nuclei. They are adjusted by a fit to masses of heavy nuclei…
We provide a description of odd-odd self-conjugate nuclei in the sd shell in a formalism of collective quartets and pairs. Quartets are four-body structures carrying isospin T=0 while pairs can have either T=0 or T=1. Both quartets and pairs are labeled by the angular momentum J and they are chosen so as to describe the lowest states of 20Ne (quartets) and the lowest T=0 and T=1 states of 18F (pairs). We carry out configuration interaction calculations in spaces built by one quartet and one pair for 22Na and by two quartets and one pair for 26Al. The spectra that are generated are in good agre…
We introduce a new Bose-Fermi framework for studying spectral properties and quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in odd-mass nuclei, in the presence of configuration mixing. A detailed analysis of odd-mass Nb isotopes discloses the effects of an abrupt crossing of states in normal and intruder configurations (Type II QPT), accompanied by a gradual evolution from spherical- to deformed-core shapes within the intruder configuration (Type I QPT). The pronounced presence of both types of QPTs demonstrates, for the first time, the occurrence of intertwined QPTs in odd-mass nuclei.
A statistical approach based on the Weisskopf evaporation theory has been developed to describe the de-excitation process of highly excited heavy and superheavy nuclei, in particular for the proton-rich nuclei. The excited nucleus is cooled by evaporating $γ$-ray, light particles (neutrons, protons, $α$ etc) in competition with the binary fission, in which the structure effects (shell correction, fission barrier, particle separation energy) contribute to the processes. The formation of residual nuclei is evaluated via sequential emission of possible particles above the separation energies. The…
Recent results of the description of quadrupole moments of odd semi-magic nuclei are briefly reviewed. They are based on the self-consistent theory of finite Fermi systems with account for the phonon-particle coupling (PC) effects. The self-consistent model for describing the PC effects was developed previously for magnetic moments. Account for the non-pole diagrams is an important ingredient of this model. In addition to previously reported results for the odd In and Sb isotopes, which are the proton-odd neighbors of even tin nuclei, we present new results for odd Bi isotopes, the odd neighbo…
Accurate estimates of the binding energy of nuclei far from stability that cannot be produced in the laboratory are crucial to our understanding of nuclear processes in astrophysical scenarios. Models based on energy density functionals have shown that they are capable of reproducing all known masses with root-mean-square error better than 800 keV, while retaining a firm microscopic foundation. However, it was recently pointed out in [M. Hukkanen et al., arXiv:2210.10674] that the recent BSkG1 model fails to account for a contribution to the binding energy that is specific to odd-odd nuclei, a…
The interplay of pairing is explored for the spectral statistics of nuclear systems with emphasis on the nearest neighbor spacing distributions by employing the kernel density and maximum likelihood estimation techniques. Different sequences prepared by all the available empirical data for low-lying energy levels of even and odd-mass nuclei in the 34 < A < 206 mass region. A deviation to more regular dynamics is apparent for even-mass nuclei in compare to odd-mass ones, and there are suggestions of effects due to unclosed proton shells on more chaotic dynamics.
After shortly analyzing data relevant to fission hindrance of odd-A nuclei and high-$K$ isomers in superheavy (SH) region we point out the inconsistency of current fission theory and propose an approach based on the instanton formalism. A few results of this method, simplified by replacing selfconsistency by elements of the macro-micro model, are given to illustrate its features.
The spherical to deformed $γ-unstable$ shape- phase transition in odd-A nuclei is investigated by using the Dual algebraic structures and the affine $SU(1,1)$ Lie Algebra within the framework of the interacting boson - fermion model. The new algebraic solution for A-odd nuclei is introduced. In this model, Single $j = 1/2 $ and $ 3/2 $ fermions are coupled with an even-even boson core. Energy spectra, quadruple electromagnetic transitions and an expectation value of the d-boson number operator are presented. Experimental evidence for the $U^{BF} (5)-O^{BF} (6)$ transition in odd -A $Ba$ and $R…
Examples of the change of neutron shell-structure in both weakly-bound and resonant neutron one-particle levels in nuclei towards the neutron drip line are exhibited. It is shown that the shell-structure change due to the weak binding may lead to the deformation of those nuclei with the neutron numbers $N \approx$ 8, 20, 28 and 40, which are known to be magic numbers in stable nuclei. Nuclei in the "island of inversion" are most easily and in a simple manner understood in terms of deformation. As an example of spectroscopic properties other than single-particle energies, magnetic moments of so…
The orthosymplectic extension of the Interacting Vector Boson Model (IVBM) is used for the simultaneous description of the spectra of different families of neighboring heavy nuclei. The structure of even-even nuclei is used as a core on which the collective excitations of the neighboring odd-mass and odd-odd nuclei are built on. Hence, the spectra of the odd-mass and odd-odd nuclei arise as a result of the consequent and self-consistent coupling of the fermion degrees of freedom of the odd particles, specified by the fermion sector $SO^{F}(2Ω)\subset OSp(2Ω/12,R)$, to the boson core which stat…
We study the ground and the first excited $0^{+}$ states of two mirror nuclei $^{14}$C and $^{14}$O within a five-cluster model (three alpha-particles and two extra nucleons) with the use of high accuracy variational approach with Gaussian bases. The first excited $0^{+}$ state of these nuclei is shown to be connected with a change of the structure of the two-nucleon subsystem moving in the field of the $^{12}$C cluster. The density distributions, electric form factors (both the elastic and transition ones), pair correlation functions, and the momentum distributions of the constituent particle…
$α$ decay is usually associated with both ground and low-lying isomeric states of heavy and superheavy nuclei, and the unpaired nucleon plays a key role on $α$ decay. In this work, we systematically studied the $α$ decay half-lives of odd-$A$ nuclei, including both favored and unfavored $α$ decay within the two-potential approach based on the isospin dependent nuclear potential. The $α$ preformation probabilities are estimated by using an analytic formula taking into account the shell structure and proton-neutron correlation, and the parameters are obtained through the $α$ decay half-lives dat…
We present an approach for the calculation of odd-nuclei with exact self-consistent blocking and particle number and angular momentum projection with the finite range density dependent Gogny force. As an application we calculate the nucleus $^{31}$Mg at the border of the $N=20$ inversion island. We evaluate the ground state properties, the excited states and the transition probabilities. In general we obtain a good description of the measured observables.
Exactly solvable solution for the spherical to gamma - unstable transition in transitional nuclei based on dual algebraic structure and nuclear supersymmetry concept is proposed. The duality relations between the unitary and quasispin algebraic structures for the boson and fermion systems are extended to mixed boson-fermion system. It is shown that the relation between the even-even and odd-A neighbors implied by nuclear supersymmetry in addition to dynamical symmetry limits can be also used for transitional regions. The experimental evidences are presented for even- even [E(5)] and odd-mass […
