Extended Theory of Finite Fermi Systems for magic and nonmagic nuclei

Consideration is given to a short review of the main features, recent results, and prospects of the Extended Theory of Finite Fermi Systems (ETFFS), which has been applied in the past 15 years to collective excitations in the neutral channel for nuclei with and without pairing. The theory is an extension of the Migdal standard TFFS to include in a consistent way the single-particle continuum and more complex 1p1h ⊗ phonon or 2qp ⊗ phonon configurations beyond the RPA or QRPA ones; i.e., the theory takes into account all three known mechanisms of giant-resonance width. To the most extent, the theory was developed and applied to nuclei without pairing. A quantitative explanation of the giant-resonance widths was obtained, with the complex configurations contributing about half of the width. In addition, a large part of the observed giant-resonance gross and fine structures can be directly traced back to the specific complex configurations, and the recent results of the (α, α′) experiments in ⁴⁰Ca and ⁵⁸Ni could be explained. Consistent use of the Green’s function method makes it possible to include and calculate some effects which were practically unstudied earlier. These are ground-state correlations induced by complex configurations and “refined” basis effects, in particular, the second (or quasiparticle-phonon) mechanism of pairing. Both of them can be studied in current experiments. In the past five years, the ETFFS has been developed and applied actively to even—even and odd-mass nuclei with pairing. Calculations of the E1 pygmy resonance in Ca and Sn isotopes have shown that this phenomenon, which is important for (n, γ) and (γ, n) reactions, cannot be explained without allowing for complex configurations. Consideration of the single-particle continuum and the practical universality of the interaction parameters allow the ETFFS to be used for calculations of unstable nuclei. The prospects and status of the necessary development of a self-consistent ETFFS for nuclei with pairing are discussed. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Non-collapsing QRPA for neutrinoless double beta decay

The standard quasiparticle random phase approximation(QRPA) is widely used to describe the neutrinoless double beta decay process. Although it has been quite successful in many cases of interest, it has some shortcomings. The most important one is that its solutions collapse for physical values of the particle-particle strength. We shall show that modifications can be done which can extend the validity of this standard QRPA beyond the point of collapse. Such modifications are: The introduction of proton-neutron pairing, the inclusion of the Pauli principle and the extension of the Hilbert space. If all these modifications are introduced into the standard QRPA then the collapse does not occur for physical values of the particle-particle strengths. Thus, one might be able to extract more accurate values on the effective neutrino mass by using the best available experimental limits on the half life of neutrinoless double beta decay. Presented by G. Pantis at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’97), Prague, May 27–31, 1997.     

Production and decay of subcritical nuclei in a solid solution

The decay of “subcritical” nuclei in a solid solution has been revealed in the investigation of the CuCl phase nucleation kinetics in glass. As soon as “supercritical” nuclei with an average radius R = 1.1 nm are created at 500°C, a sharp temperature increase up to 650°C transforms most nuclei created in the first annealing stage into “subcritical” ones, and this results in the decay of 80% of the nuclei in 5 min, while the remaining 20% of the nuclei grow in size to 2.4 nm. Their growth provides a sixfold increase in the CuCl phase growth rate against that in conventional annealing at 650°C. The kinetic dependences of the nucleation parameters—the amount of the phase and the average radius and concentration of the particles—were determined by the intrinsic absorption spectra of the CuCl nanocrystals. The critical radius of the CuCl nanomelt at 650°C has been estimated as 1.3 nm and the evaporation heat of the CuCl phase molecules in glass, as 13 kJ/mol. It is shown that multistage annealing makes it possible not only to control the parameters of the particles of the new phase, but also to determine the critical parameters of the initial nucleation stage.     

Coulomb excitation of neutron-rich 138,140,142Xe at REX-ISOLDE

We report on “safe” Coulomb excitation of neutron-rich ^138,140,142Xe nuclei. The radioactive nuclei have been produced by ISOLDE at CERN and post-accelerated by the REX-ISOLDE facility. The γ-rays emitted by the decay of excited states have been detected by the MINIBALL array. Recent results are presented.     

Spatial structure of superconducting correlations of $$ d_{x^2 - y^2 } $$ symmetry in high-temperature superconductors

The spatial structure of the correlation function of the order parameter of the $ d_{x^2 - y^2 } $ d_{x^2 - y^2 } symmetry has been investigated within the t-J model in the generalized mean field approximation taking into account the “no-double occupancy” constraint due to strong electron correlations. A slow decay of the correlation function to the thirtieth coordination sphere has been found. The limitation by pairing of only the nearest neighbors makes it possible to take into account less than 17% of the superconducting correlations.     

Nuclear magnetic relaxation in ferrimagnetic Y3Fe5−x SixO12 films

The effect of silicon impurities on the damping of spin-echo signals from the ⁵⁷Fe nuclei of tetrahedral Fe³⁺ ions in epitaxial yttrium-iron-garnet films was investigated. It was found that for silicon concentrations 0.015⩽x⩽0.037 the damping of the spin echo is a two-component process, which made it possible to separate nuclei into two types, differing by both the longitudinal and transverse magnetic relaxation times. For silicon concentrations 0.044⩽x⩽0.073 the decay of the echo can be described by one exponential and all nuclei in the sample have the same transverse relaxation times and the same longitudinal relaxation times. The experimental results are interpreted on the basis of the supposition that impurity “macromolecules” form around the Si⁴⁺ ions. The relaxation times of the iron nuclei in a “macromolecule” are much shorter than the relaxation times of iron nuclei belonging to the matrix ions. The radius of a “macromolecule” is estimated on the basis of percolation theory. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1494–1497 (August 1998)     

Map Lattices Coupled by Collisions

We introduce a new coupled map lattice model in which the weak interaction takes place via rare “collisions”. By “collision” we mean a strong (possibly discontinuous) change in the system. For such models we prove uniqueness of the SRB measure and exponential space-time decay of correlations.     

Spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei at REX-ISOLDE with MINIBALL

We report on “safe” Coulomb excitation of neutron-rich nuclei. The radioactive nuclei have been produced by ISOLDE at CERN and postaccelerated by the REX-ISOLDE facility. The γ rays emitted by the decay of excited states have been detected by the MINIBALL array. Recent results are presented and compared to theoretical models. on behalf of the MINIBALL and REX-ISOLDE Collaborations The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Influence of background radiation on the composition of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays in propagating from their source to an earth-based facility

The composition of cosmic rays as they propagate from their source is noticeably distorted due to the photodisintegration of nuclei against the background cosmic radiation. We analyze the propagation of different nuclei groups of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays on the way from their source to an earth-based facility. Two types of sources are considered: “nearby” (within an area having a radius of ≈40 Mpc) and “remote” (at distances of hundreds of Mpc) active galactic nuclei. We show that within the accepted model, the composition of the particles incident on the facility depends on the source type.     

Testing “microscopic” theories of glass-forming liquids

We assess the validity of “microscopic” approaches of glass-forming liquids based on the sole knowledge of the static pair density correlations. To do so, we apply them to a benchmark provided by two liquid models that share very similar static pair density correlation functions while displaying distinct temperature evolutions of their relaxation times. We find that the approaches are unsuccessful in describing the difference in the dynamical behavior of the two models. Our study is not exhaustive, and we have not tested the effect of adding corrections by including, for instance, three-body density correlations. Yet, our results appear strong enough to challenge the claim that the slowdown of relaxation in glass-forming liquids, for which it is well established that the changes of the static structure factor with temperature are small, can be explained by “microscopic” approaches only requiring the static pair density correlations as nontrivial input.     

Disordering effects in superconductors with anisotropic pairing: From Cooper pairs to compact bosons

In the weak-coupling BCS-theory approximation, normal impurities do not influence the superconducting transition temperature T _c in the case of isotropic s pairing. In the case of d pairing they result in a rapid destruction of the superconducting state. This is at variance with many experiments on the disordering of high-T _c superconductors, assuming that d pairing is realized in them. As the interelectronic attraction in a Cooper pair increases, the system transforms continuously from a BCS-type superconductor with “loose” pairs to a picture of superconductivity of “compact,” strongly coupled bosons. Near such a transition substantial deviations can be expected from the universal disorder dependence of T _c , as determined by the Abrikosov-Gor’kov equation, and T _c becomes more stable against disordering. Since high-T _c super-conducting systems fall into the transitional region from BCS-type pairs to compact bosons, these results can explain their relative stability against disordering. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 3, 258–262 (10 February 1997)     

Uncertainties in the 0νββ-decay nuclear matrix elements

The nuclear matrix elements M ^0ν of the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0νβ β) of most nuclei with known 2νββ-decay rates are systematically evaluated using the Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation (QRPA) and Renormalized QRPA (RQRPA). The experimental 2νβ β-decay rate is used to adjust the most relevant parameter, the strength of the particle-particle interaction. With such procedure the M ^0ν values become essentially independent of single-particle basis size, the axial vector quenching factor, etc. Theoretical arguments in favor of the adopted way of determining the interaction parameters are presented. It is suggested that most of the spread among the published M ^0ν ’s can be ascribed to the choices of implicit and explicit parameters, inherent to the QRPA method. Presented by V. Rodin at the Workshop on calculation of double-beta-decay matrix elements (MEDEX’05), Corfu, Greece, September 26–29, 2005.     

Watching it boil: Continuous observation for the quantum zeno effect

The quantum Zeno effect (QZE) is often associated with the ironic maxim, “a watched pot never boils”, although the notion of “watching” suggests a continuous activity at odds with the usual (pulsed measurement) presentation of the QZE. We show how continuous watching can provide the same halting of decay as the usual QZE, and, for incomplete hindrance, we provide a precise connection between the interval between projections and the response time of the continuous observer. Thus, watching closely, but not so closely as to halt the “boiling”, is equivalent to—gives the same degree of partial hindrance as—pulsed measurements with a particular pulsing rate. Our demonstration is accomplished by treating the apparatus for the continuous watching as a fully quantum object. This in turn allows us a second perspective on the QZE, in which it is the modified level structure of the combined system/apparatus Hamiltonian that slows the decay. This and other considerations favor the characterization “dominated time evolution” for the QZE.     

Large amplitude dynamics of clusters and nuclet

We discuss and compare the dipole resonance modes in nuclei and metal clusters under varying conditions: different excitation mechanisms in the case of nuclei, changed back-ground structure in the case of clusters. The resonances are generally nicely harmonic modes, even those with a large amplitude. Only extreme shapes, as they occur in fusion and fission, can perturb this harmonicity. Presented by P.-G. Reinhard at the International Conference on “Atomic Nuclei and Metallic Clusters”, Prague, September 1–5, 1997.     

Half-life estimation under indefinite “mother-daughter” relation

An algorithm has been proposed to build an estimate of the half-life of a “daughter” nucleus in case, when it is unknown, which nucleus is its “mother” (“indefinite start time”). For a decay of the “mother” at an instant t we can determine P—a probability of such a decay, if we assume that each “mother”, which has been decayed before t has equal chances to be “mother” of this “daughter”:

The isospin admixture of the ground state and the properties of the isobar analog resonances in medium and heavy mass nuclei

Within the framework of quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA), Pyatov-Salamov method [23] for the self-consistent determination of the isovector effective interaction strength parameter, restoring a broken isotopic symmetry for the nuclear part of the Hamiltonian, is used. The isospin admixtures in the ground state of the parent nucleus, and the isospin structure of the isobar analog resonance (IAR) state were investigated with the inclusion of the pairing correlations between nucleons for the medium and heavy mass regions: 80 <A < 90, 102 <A < 124, and 204 <A < 214. It was determined that the influence of the pairing interaction between nucleons on the isospin admixtures in the ground state and the isospin structure of the IAR state is more pronounced for the light isotopes (N ≈ Z) of the investigated nuclei     

Synthesis of superheavy nuclei in the reactions of 244Pu and 248Cm with 48Ca

This paper presents results of the experiments aimed at producing long-lived superheavy elements located near the spherical-shell closures with Z ⩾ 114 and N ⩾ 172 in the ²⁴⁴Pu + ⁴⁸Ca and ²⁴⁸Cm + ⁴⁸Ca reactions. The large measured α-particle energies of the newly observed nuclei, together with the long decay times and spontaneous fission terminating the chains, offer evidence of the decay of nuclei with high atomic numbers. The decay properties of the synthesized nuclei are consistent with the consecutive α-decays originating from the parent nuclides ^{288, 289}114 and ²⁹²116, produced in the 3n and 4n evaporation channels with cross-sections of about a picobarn. The present observations can be considered as experimental evidence of the existence of the “island of stability” of superheavy elements. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: utyonkov@sungns.jinr.ru     

Similarities and differences between nuclei and metallic clusters in the liquid-drop model

The gross features of potential-energy surfaces of metallic, liquid clusters are compared with the corresponding properties of nuclei and their influence on the decay modes of excited systems is discussed. The interaction of two spherical, surface-charged droplets is compared with heavy-ion interaction potentials. Presented at the International Conference on “Atomic Nuclei and Metallic Clusters”, Prague, September 1–5, 1998.     

Medium effects in the production and π0γ decay of ω-mesons in pA collisions in the GeV region

The ω resonance production and its π⁰γ decay in pA reactions close to threshold is considered within the Intranuclear Cascade (INC) model. The π⁰γ invariant-mass distribution shows two components which correspond to the ω decay “inside” and “outside” the nucleus, respectively. The “inside” component is distorted by medium effects, which introduce a mass shift as well as collisional broadening for the ω-meson and its decaying pion. The relative contribution of the “inside” component is analyzed in detail for different kinematical conditions and nuclear targets. It is demonstrated that a measurement of the correlation in azimuthal angle between the π⁰ and γ momenta allows to separate events related to the “inside”ω decay from different sources of background when uncorrelated π⁰'s and γ's are produced. Received: 2 April 2001 / Accepted: 5 June 2001