Stability of Cf isotopes against alpha and cluster radioactivity

Stability of ^248–254Cf nuclei against alpha and cluster emissions is studied within our Coulomb and proximity potential model (CPPM). It is found that these nuclei are stable against light clusters (except alpha particles) and unstable against heavy cluster (A₂≥40)$(A_2\ge 40)$ emissions. For heavy cluster emissions the daughter nuclei lead to doubly magic ²⁰⁸Pb or the neighbouring one. The effects of quadrupole and hexadecapole deformations of parent nuclei, daughter nuclei and emitted cluster on half lives are also studied. The computed alpha decay half life values (including quadrupole deformation β₂${\beta }_2$) are in close agreement with experimental data. Inclusion of quadrupole deformation reduces the height and width of the barrier (increases the barrier penetrability) and hence half life decreases.     

Fast proton decay

We consider proton decay in the testable flipped SU(5)×UX₍₁₎$\mathit{SU}(5)\times U{(1)}_X$ models with TeV-scale vector-like particles which can be realized in free fermionic string constructions and F-theory model building. We significantly improve upon the determination of light threshold effects from prior studies, and perform a fresh calculation of the second loop for the process p→e⁺π⁰$p\to e^{+}{\pi }^0$ from the heavy gauge boson exchange. The cumulative result is comparatively fast proton decay, with a majority of the most plausible parameter space within reach of the future Hyper-Kamiokande and DUSEL experiments. Because the TeV-scale vector-like particles can be produced at the LHC, we predict a strong correlation between the most exciting particle physics experiments of the coming decade.     

FCNC-induced heavy-quark events at the LHC from supersymmetry

We analyze the production and subsequent decay of the neutral Higgs bosons h≡h⁰,H⁰,A⁰$h\equiv h^0,H^0,A^0$ of the MSSM into electrically neutral quark pairs of different flavors (qq^′≡tc,bs$q{q}^{\prime }\equiv tc,bs$, depending on h  ) at the LHC, i.e. σ(pp→h→qq^′)$\sigma (pp\to h\to q{q}^{\prime })$, and compare with the direct FCNC production mechanisms σ(pp→qq^′)$\sigma (pp\to q{q}^{\prime })$. The cross-sections are computed in the unconstrained MSSM with minimal flavor-mixing sources and taking into account the stringent bounds from b→sγ$b\to s\gamma$. We extend the results previously found for these FCNC processes, which are singularly uncommon in the SM. Specifically, we report here on the SUSY-EW part of σ(pp→h→qq^′)$\sigma (pp\to h\to q{q}^{\prime })$ and the SUSY-QCD and SUSY-EW contributions to σ(pp→bs)$\sigma (pp\to bs)$. In this way, the complete map of MSSM predictions for the qq^′$q{q}^{\prime }$-pairs produced at the LHC becomes available. The upshot is that the most favorable channels are: (1) the Higgs boson FCNC decays into bs, and (2) the direct production of tc   pairs, both of them at the ∼1 pb$\sim 1\text{pb}$ level and mediated by SUSY-QCD effects. If, however, the SUSY-QCD part is suppressed, we find a small SUSY-EW yield for σmax_{(pp→h→tc)}∼¹⁰⁻⁴ pb$\sigma {(pp\to h\to tc)}_{\max }\sim {10}^{\mathrm{-4}}\text{pb}$ but, at the same time, σmax_{(pp→h→bs)}∼0.1–1 pb$\sigma {(pp\to h\to bs)}_{\max }\sim 0.1\text{–}1\text{pb}$, which implies a significant number (∼¹⁰⁴–¹⁰⁵$\sim {10}^4\text{–}{10}^5$) of bs   pairs per 100 fb⁻¹$100{\text{fb}}^{\mathrm{-1}}$ of integrated luminosity.     

Growth and magnetism in amorphous Si1−xMnx thin films grown by thermal deposition

Si_1−xMn_x   (x?0.22$x?0.22$) thin films were grown by using a thermal evaporator, and their magnetic and electrical properties were investigated. The Si_1−xMn_x semiconductors are amorphous when Mn concentration is 9.0 at% and less. The electrical resistivities of amorphous Si_1−xMn_x   (x?0.09$x?0.09$) semiconductor thin films are in the range of 9.86–6.59×10⁻⁴ Ω cm at room temperature and decrease with increasing Mn concentration. The amorphous Si_1−xMn_x   (x?0.09$x?0.09$) semiconductor thin films are p-type and hole densities are 3.73×10¹⁸–1.33×10²² cm⁻³ at room temperature. Low temperature magnetization characteristics reveal that amorphous Si_1−xMn_x   (x?0.09$x?0.09$) semiconductor thin films are paramagnetic.     

Isomer-tagged differential-plunger measurements in proton-unbound Ho

The lifetime of an excited state above a weakly populated isomer in the proton-unbound odd–odd nucleus ¹⁴⁴Ho has been measured using the recoil distance Doppler shift method. This measurement represents the first differential-plunger lifetime measurement to utilize recoil-isomer tagging. The first excited Iπ=(¹⁰⁺)$I^{\pi }=({10}^{+})$ state above the two-quasiparticle πh_11/2⊗νh_11/2(⁸⁺)$\pi h_{11/2}\otimes \nu h_{11/2}(8^{+})$ isomer was determined to have a lifetime of τ=6(1) ps$\tau =6(1)\text{ps}$. Potential energy surface calculations, based on the configuration-constrained blocking method, predict the isomeric state to have γ  -soft triaxial-nuclear shape with |γ|≈24°$|\gamma |\approx 24\text{°}$. The lifetime of the (¹⁰⁺)$({10}^{+})$ state can be understood from these calculations if there is a degree of rotational alignment in this band, with the K value being lower than the bandhead spin. However, the validity of the K quantum number with large predicted triaxiality and gamma softness requires further theoretical study.     

High-K isomers as probes of octupole collectivity in heavy nuclei

The influence of the octupole deformation on the structure of high-K isomeric states in the region of heavy even–even actinide nuclei is studied through a reflection asymmetric deformed shell model (DSM). Two-quasiparticle states with high-K values are constructed by taking into account the pairing effect through a DSM + BCS procedure with constant pairing interaction. The behaviour of two-quasiparticle energies and magnetic dipole moments of Kπ=⁶⁺$K^{\pi }=6^{+}$, ⁶⁻$6^{-}$ and ⁸⁻$8^{-}$ configurations, applicable to mass numbers in the range A=234–252$A=234\text{–}252$, was examined over a wide range of quadrupole and octupole deformations. A pronounced sensitivity of the magnetic moments to the octupole deformation is found. The result suggests a possibly important role for high-K isomers in determining the degree of octupole deformation in heavy actinide nuclei.     

Topological recursion for chord diagrams,RNA complexes,and cells in moduli spaces

We introduce and study the Hermitian matrix model with potential _Vs,t(x)=x²/2−stx/(1−tx)$V_{s,t}(x)=x^2/2-stx/(1-tx)$, which enumerates the number of linear chord diagrams with no isolated vertices of fixed genus with specified numbers of backbones generated by s and chords generated by t. For the one-cut solution, the partition function, correlators and free energies are convergent for small t and all s   as a perturbation of the Gaussian potential, which arises for st=0$st=0$. This perturbation is computed using the formalism of the topological recursion. The corresponding enumeration of chord diagrams gives at once the number of RNA complexes of a given topology as well as the number of cells in Riemann?s moduli spaces for bordered surfaces. The free energies are computed here in principle for all genera and explicitly in genus less than four.     

Shell Model description of the ββ decay of Xe

We study in this Letter the double beta decay of ¹³⁶Xe with emission of two neutrinos which has been recently measured by the EXO-200 Collaboration. We use the same shell model framework, valence space, and effective interaction that we have already employed in our calculation of the nuclear matrix element (NME) of its neutrinoless double beta decay. Using the quenching factor of the Gamow–Teller operator which is needed to reproduce the very recent high resolution ¹³⁶Xe (³He, t) ¹³⁶Cs data, we obtain a nuclear matrix element M^2ν=0.025 MeV⁻¹${\mathrm{M}}^{2\nu }=0.025{\text{MeV}}^{-1}$ compared with the experimental value M^2ν=0.019(2) MeV⁻¹${\mathrm{M}}^{2\nu }=0.019(2){\text{MeV}}^{-1}$.     

Realistic nuclear Hamiltonian: Ab exitu approach

Fully-microscopic no-core shell model (NCSM) calculations of all stable s and p shell nuclei are used to determine a realistic NN   interaction, JISP16, describing not only the two-nucleon data but the binding energies and spectra of nuclei with A?16$A?16$ as well. The JISP16 interaction, providing rapid convergence of the NCSM calculations, is obtained in an ab exitu approach by phase-equivalent transformations of the JISP6 NN interaction.     

Thermalization in one- plus two-body ensembles for dense interacting boson systems

Employing one- plus two-body random matrix ensembles for bosons, temperature and entropy are calculated, using different definitions, as a function of the two-body interaction strength λ   for a system with 10 bosons (m=10$m=10$) in five single-particle levels (N=5$N=5$). It is found that in a region λ∼_λt$\lambda \sim {\lambda }_t$, different definitions give essentially the same values for temperature and entropy, thus defining a thermalization region. Also, (m,N)$(m,N)$ dependence of _λt${\lambda }_t$ has been derived. It is seen that _λt${\lambda }_t$ is much larger than the λ values where level fluctuations change from Poisson to GOE and strength functions change from Breit–Wigner to Gaussian.     

Electromagnetic superconductivity of vacuum induced by strong magnetic field: Numerical evidence in lattice gauge theory

Using numerical simulations of quenched SU(2)$\mathit{SU}(2)$ gauge theory we demonstrate that an external magnetic field leads to spontaneous generation of quark condensates with quantum numbers of electrically charged ρ   mesons if the strength of the magnetic field exceeds the critical value e_Bc=0.927(77) GeV²$e{B}_c=0.927(77){\text{GeV}}^2$ or _Bc=(1.56±0.13)⋅10¹⁶ Tesla$B_c=(1.56\pm 0.13)\cdot {10}^{16}\text{Tesla}$. The condensation of the charged ρ mesons in strong magnetic field is a key feature of the magnetic-field-induced electromagnetic superconductivity of the vacuum.     

Direct evidence for the onset of intruder configurations in neutron-rich Ne isotopes

We report on direct experimental evidence of the population of the 3/²⁻$3/2^{-}$ intruder state in ²⁷Ne in the knockout of a single neutron from the ground state of ²⁸Ne. This low-lying negative parity state is consistent with a narrower shell gap for exotic nuclei with Z?N$Z?N$ and N≈20$N\approx 20$. Monte Carlo shell-model calculations with the modern SDPF-M interaction successfully describe neutron-rich nuclei in the vicinity of N=20$N=20$ where normal and intruder configurations coexist at low excitation energy. This observation demonstrates the importance of direct reactions for the study of exotic nuclei and the predictive power of these large-scale shell-model calculations.