Study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> nuclei in variation-after-projection framework

Variation-after-projection (VAP) calculations in conjunction with the Hartree- Bogoliubov (HB) ansatz have been carried out for A = 68-88, N = Z nuclei. In this framework, the yrast spectra with , B(E2) transition probabilities and deformation parameter ( ) have been obtained. A pairing interaction for like particles as well as protons and neutrons has been included in the model for a two-body interaction.Received: 28 April 2003, Revised: 20 March 2004, Published online: 14 September 2004PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 21.60.-n Nuclear structure models and methods - 27.50. + e      

Projected shell model study on nuclei near the <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> line

Study of the nuclei in the mass-80 region is not only interesting due to the existence of abundant nuclear-structure phenomena, but also important in understanding the nucleosynthesis in the rp-process. It is difficult to apply a conventional shell model due to the necessary involvement of the g_9/2 sub-shell. In this paper, the projected shell model is introduced to this study. Calculations are systematically performed for the collective levels as well as the quasi-particle excitations. It is demonstrated that calculations with this truncation scheme can achieve a comparable quality as the large-scale shell model diagonalizations for ⁴⁸Cr, but the present method can be applied to much heavier mass regions. While the known experimental data of the yrast bands in the nuclei (from Se to Ru) are reasonably described, the present calculations predict the existence of high-K states, some of which lie low in energy under certain structure conditions.Received: 30 October 2002, Revised: 25 January 2003, Published online: 23 March 2004PACS: 21.60.-n Nuclear structure models and methods     

Study of thermally excited nuclei through <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>1 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>2 decay from collective modes

The nuclear system at the limit of excitation energy and angular momentum is here studied in the case of the superdeformed nucleus ¹⁴³Eu using -spectroscopy techniques. The data are based on a EUROBALL experiment using the reaction ³⁷Cl + ¹¹⁰Pd Eu + 4n. The influence of thermal energy on superdeformed configurations is investigated through the analysis of the quasi-continuum spectra formed by E2 transitions among states of excited rotational bands with energy extending up to 4-5 MeV above the yrast line. In particular, the effective lifetimes of the discrete rotational bands forming ridge structures in - coincidence matrices is measured by a Doppler Shift Attenuation Method. The deduced quadrupole deformation of 10 eb indicates that the nucleus maintains its collectivity with increasing excitation energy, supporting the superdeformed character of the excited nuclear rotation. The obtained number of superdeformed discrete bands forming the ridge structures is found in good agreement with microscopic cranked shell model calculations including the decay-out process into the lower deformation minimum. In addition, the nuclear properties at higher excitation energies are investigated through the E1 -decay of the giant dipole resonance (GDR). It is found that the intensity of the superdeformed yrast and excited bands increases by a factor of approximately 1.6 when a coincidence with a high-energy -ray is required, showing the importance of the E1 cooling in the feeding mechanism of the superdeformed states.Received: 2 December 2002, Published online: 2 March 2004PACS: 21.10.Tg Lifetimes - 21.10.Re Collective levels - 23.20.Lv transitions and level energies - 27.60. + j      

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis><Subscript>7/2</Subscript>-shell nuclei: Experimental highlights

During the last decade, as the experimental and computing means and techniques have rapidly evolved, the experimental investigation of the f_7/2-shell nuclei has gained renewed interest. TheN = Z nuclei studied with the GASP array range from ⁴⁴Ti to ⁵²Fe. The results extended the knowledge of their structure up to high spins and excitation energies, above band terminations, where the competition with the charged-particles emission was initially thought to obscure the possibility of gamma-ray spectroscopy investigation. The paper highlights some of the most outstanding properties of these nuclei such as the nuclear rotation and backbending effects, band termination states, yrast traps, non-natural parity bands, competition between T = 0 and T = 1 pn pairing modes.Received: 30 October 2002, Published online: 16 March 2004PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 21.60.Cs Shell model - 23.20.Lv transitions and level energies - 27.40. + z C.A. Ur: On leave from NIPNE Bucharest, Romania     

Forward on the <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> line with GASP

The experimental study of the proton-rich nuclei close to the N = Z line is a constant challenge for nuclear spectroscopy, mainly due to the difficulty to produce them with the currently available beam/target combinations. Significant advances on this direction were obtained from experiments performed with the GASP array during the last two years: the yrast line of ⁸⁴Mo was extended up to 10 ⁺ , ⁸⁸Ru observed for the first time, and the N = Z + 1 line was mapped from ⁸¹Zr to ⁹⁵Ag. These new results allow us to have a more complete image of the transition from the well-deformed shell closure at N,Z = 40 to the spherical-shell closure at N,Z = 50, and highlights some particular effects that can be observed only in the vicinity of the N = Z line.Received: 10 January 2003, Published online: 23 March 2004PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 21.10.Pc Single-particle levels and strength functions - 21.10.Re Collective levels - 23.20.-g Electromagnetic transitions     

The effect of the valence nucleons off the shells with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> = 82 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 126 on rotational characteristics of actinide nuclei

Our earlier results obtained for moments of inertia (M) in the case of 54 rotational level bands built on the ground state of actinide nuclei are taken for further analysis. In the current paper, resulting dynamic rotational characteristics, such as a ₀, a ₁, s ₀ and the R _4/2 parameter, are studied from the standpoint of their dependence on the valence nucleon number product N _p N _n and on the variable P = N _p N _n /(N _p + N _n ). New features of the nuclei deformation phenomenon in the actinide area arise when their dynamic rotational characteristics, mentioned above, are plotted in such a way as shown in the current work. The method of analysis presented here makes it possible to reveal nuclei with valence nucleon numbers for which the nuclear interactions are notable and those in which they are inconspicuous. E. g. when N _p N _n < 200 and P < 6 the strength of nuclear interaction gradually decreases with the increase of these variables. The strength of the nuclear interaction does not change significantly for N _p N _n > 200 and P > 6 — the rotational characteristics stabilise. Moreover, it is possible to establish the P variable as representing the effective number of interactions of each valence nucleon with those of the other type.     

Beta-decay of nuclei near the neutron shell <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 126

A self-consistent approach to the weak interaction rates is presented. It is based on the generalized energy-density functional method and continuum QRPA. The study has been made of the β-decay total energy releases, half-lives and β-delayed neutron emission branchings for recently identified near-spherical nuclei with charge numbers Z = 76–79 approaching the closed neutron shell at N = 126. Together with our previous calculations near N = 28, 50, 82 this provides an important update to the standard set of weak rates for the r-process modeling, radioactive beam experiments and advanced reactor applications. Within the fully microscopic framework a significant competition is found of the Gamow-Teller and first-forbidden decay contributions to the total half-lives.     

Single-particle properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 12 to <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 20 silicon isotopes within the dispersive optical model

Experimental neutron and proton single-particle energies in N = 12 to N = 20 silicon isotopes and data on neutron and proton scattering by nuclei of the isotope ²⁸Si are analyzed on the basis of the dispersive optical model. Good agreement with available experimental data was attained. The occupation probabilities calculated for the single-particle states in question suggest a parallel-type filling of the 1d and 2s _1/2 neutron states in the isotopes ^{26,28,30,32,34}Si. The single-particle spectra being considered are indicative of the closure of the Z = 14 proton subshell in the isotopes ^30,32,34Si and the N = 20 neutron shell.     

Effect of Coriolis Interaction on the Decay of Isotones with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 149 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 153

The quasi-neutron structure of nuclei in two chains of odd isotones with N = 149 and N = 153: ^243,247Pu, ^245,249Cm, ^247,251Cf, ^249,253Fm, ^251,255No, and is considered. Single-particle energy spectra are calculated using the two center shell model (TCSM). Minimizing the potential energy with respect to the collective coordinates gives the ground state of the studied nucleos, which is subsequently used to describe low-lying quasi-neutron states. The K-mixing of the basis TCSM wave functions is considered by including the Coriolis correction in the total Hamiltonian of the system. The effect of level blocking is also considered in the calculations. The probabilities of the E2 transitions to the ground states and the corresponding lifetimes of the quasi-neutron levels are estimated.     

Pairing of Neutrons and Protons in <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> Nuclei

Values of neutron–proton pairing based on mass relations are estimated. It is shown that substantially different formulas for calculating the np-pairing energy in self-conjugate nuclei yield similar results. Comparison of the obtained values and the structure of ground state multiplet spectra shows that mass relations can be used to describe the isovector (T = 1) component of np-pairing to sufficient accuracy, but provides little or no information on isoscalar component T = 0.     

New neutron magic number <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 16 for neutron-rich nuclei

A survey of experimental results obtained at GANIL (Caen, France) on the study of the properties of very neutron-rich nuclei (Z=6–20, A=20–60) near the neutron drip line and resulting in an appearance of further evidence for the new magic number N=16 is presented. Very recent data on mass measurements of neutron-rich nuclei at GANIL and some characteristics of binding energies in this region are discussed. Nuclear binding energies are very sensitive to the existence of nuclear shells, and together with the measurements of instability of doubly magic nuclei ¹⁰He and ²⁸O, they provide information on changes in neutron shell closures of very neutron-rich isotopes. The behavior of the two-neutron separation energies S_2n derived from mass measurements gives very clear evidence for the existence of the new shell closure N=16 for Z=9 and 10 appearing between the 2s_1/2 and 1d_3/2 orbitals. This fact, strongly supported by the instability of C, N, and O isotopes with N>16, confirms the magic character of N=16 for the region from carbon up to neon, while the shell closure at N=20 tends to disappear for Z≤13. Decay studies of these hardly accessible short-lived neutron-rich nuclei from oxygen to silicon using in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy are also reported.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 2 Heavenly Equation

This paper presents report of the joint work with Z. Popowicz, which appeared in J. Phys. A, concerning the construction of a manifestly N = 2 supersymmetric heavenly equation in 2 + 1 dimensions. Its integrability properties have been derived from an N = 2 supersymmetric Lax pair, based on the n limit of the sl(n;n + 1) superalgebra series. The superhydrodynamical type of restrictions to 1+1 dimensions have been analyzed.     

The neutron drip line in the region of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>=20 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>=28 closures

Experimental studies of neutron drip line nuclei are introduced. The neutron drip line in the oxygen-magnesium region has been explored by the projectile fragmentation of a ⁴⁸Ca beam. New neutron-rich isotopes, ³⁴Ne and ³⁷Na, have been observed together with some evidence for the particle instability of ³³Ne and ³⁶Na. Recent data on mass measurements of neutron-rich nuclei at GANIL and some characteristics of binding energies in this region are discussed. Nuclear binding energies are very sensitive to the existence of nuclear shells, and together with the measurements of instability of doubly magic nuclide ²⁸O, they provide information on changes in neutron shell closures of very neutron-rich isotopes from carbon up to calcium. The conclusion about a rearrangement in neutron shell closures is given. The spectroscopic measurements can reveal details of the underlying microscopic structures; in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy is an effective tool to check for shell closures. The results on the γ-ray energies of the first 2⁺ level in even-even nuclei for the range N=12–32 are discussed. The strength of N=20 and N=28 shells is variable in the region from carbon up to magnesium.     

Isospin symmetry and giant resonance in nuclei of mass number <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis> = 14

An analysis of the cross sections for photon absorption by isobar nuclei ¹⁴C and ¹⁴N in the giant-dipole-resonance region demonstrates a high degree of isospin symmetry for this type of collective excitations in the above nuclei. Giant resonances in A = 14 isobar nuclei are related by a simple rescaling procedure that is based on the fact that, for these nuclei, the isospin remains a good quantum number in the process of dipole excitations of energy up to about 40 MeV. The features of the isospin splitting of the giant resonance in the ¹⁴C nucleus are refined. The shape of the cross section for photoabsorption in the ¹⁴C nucleus—in particular, a large width of the giant resonance in this nucleus—is exhaustively explained.     

The possibility of separating isovector <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>1 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>2 giant resonances in measuring neutron emission asymmetry with threshold detectors

The possibility of identifying the contribution from the isovector electric quadrupole giant resonance against the background of the predominant isovector electric dipole giant resonance in measuring the forward–backward asymmetry of the emission of fast neutrons in (γ, n) reactions with threshold neutron detectors is discussed.     

1/<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis></Subscript> countings in baryons

The 1/N _c -power countings for baryon decays and configuration mixings are determined by means of a nonrelativistic quark picture. Such countings are expected to be robust under changes in the quark masses and, therefore, valid as these become light. It is shown that excited baryons have natural widths of \(\mathcal{O}(N_c^0 )\). These dominant widths are due to the decays that proceed directly to the ground-state baryons, with cascade decays being suppressed to \(\mathcal{O}(1/N_c )\). Configuration mixings, defined as mixings between states belonging to different O(3) × SU(2N _f ) multiplets, are shown to be subleading in an expansion in \(1/\sqrt {N_c }\) when they involve the ground-state baryons, while the mixings between excited states can be \(\mathcal{O}(N_c^0 )\).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 1, 2 supersymmetric non-local gas equation

In this paper we study the supersymmetrization of the N = 1 and N = 2 nonlocal gas equation. We show that this system is bi-Hamiltonian. While the N = 1 supersymmetrization allows the hierarchy of equations to be extended to negative orders (local equations), we argue that this is not the case for the N = 2 supersymmetrization. In the bosonic limit, however, the N = 2 system of equations lead to a new coupled integrable system of equations. Presented at the International Colloquium “Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries”, Prague, 16–18 June 2005.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>=2 de Sitter Super-symmetry Algebra

It was shown that N=1 super-symmetry algebra can be constructed in de Sitter space (Pahlavan et al. in Phys Lett. B 627:217–223, 2005), through calculation of charge conjugation in the ambient space notation (Moradi et al. in Phys. Lett. B 613:74, 2005; Phys. Lett. B 658:284, 2008). Calculation of N=2 super-symmetry algebra constitutes the main frame of this paper. N=2 super-symmetry algebra was presented in Pilch et al. (Commun. Math. Phys. 98:105, 1985). In this paper, we obtain an alternative N=2 super-symmetry algebra.     

Schwinger-Dyson equations for <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

The Schwinger-Dyson equations for the N = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory are constructed.