Showing 1–50 of 261 results for author: Nazarewicz, W

Radii of proton emitters

Authors: Y. R. Lin, S. M. Wang, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Nuclear radius is a fundamental structural observable that informs many properties of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. Experimental studies of radii in dripline nuclei are in the forefront of research with radioactive ion beams. Of particular interest are charge radii of proton-unbound nuclei that will soon be approached in laser spectroscopy. In this paper, using the complex-energy approach and… ▽ More Nuclear radius is a fundamental structural observable that informs many properties of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. Experimental studies of radii in dripline nuclei are in the forefront of research with radioactive ion beams. Of particular interest are charge radii of proton-unbound nuclei that will soon be approached in laser spectroscopy. In this paper, using the complex-energy approach and direct time propagation, we investigate the radius of the proton resonance whose size is ill-defined in the standard stationary quantum-mechanical description. An early-time plateau is identified during which the radius of the Gamow resonance coincides with the real-energy radius accessible experimentally. We demonstrate a non-monotonic dependence of the complex radius on decay energy and a local increase of the charge radius across the threshold (a proton halo effect). △ Less

Submitted 13 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 7 pages, 4 figures

Finite-range pairing in nuclear density functional theory

Authors: Sudhanva Lalit, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Kyle Godbey, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: Pairing correlations are ubiquitous in low-energy states of atomic nuclei. To incorporate them within nuclear density functional theory, often used for global computations of nuclear properties, pairing functionals that generate nucleonic pair densities and pairing fields are introduced. Many pairing functionals currently used can be traced back to zero-range nucleon-nucleon interactions. Unfortun… ▽ More Pairing correlations are ubiquitous in low-energy states of atomic nuclei. To incorporate them within nuclear density functional theory, often used for global computations of nuclear properties, pairing functionals that generate nucleonic pair densities and pairing fields are introduced. Many pairing functionals currently used can be traced back to zero-range nucleon-nucleon interactions. Unfortunately, such functionals are plagued by deficiencies that become apparent in large model spaces that contain unbound single-particle (continuum) states. In particular, the underlying computational schemes diverge as the single-particle space increases, and the results depend on how marginally occupied states are incorporated. These problems become more pronounced for pairing functionals that contain gradient-density dependence, such as in the Fayans functional. To remedy this, finite-range pairing functionals are introduced. In this study, this is done by folding the pair density with Gaussians. We show that a folding radius of about 1\,fm offers the best compromise between quality and stability, and substantially reduces the pathological behavior in different numerical applications. △ Less

Submitted 11 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 12 pages, 10 figures

Large-Scale Calculations of $β$-Decay Rates and Implications for $r$-Process Nucleosynthesis

Authors: A. Ravlić, Y. Saito, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Nuclear $β$ decay is a key element of the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process ($r$-process). In this paper, we present state-of-the-art global $β$-decay calculations based on the quantified relativistic nuclear energy density functional theory and the deformed proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation. Our analysis considers contributions from allowed and first-forbidden tran… ▽ More Nuclear $β$ decay is a key element of the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process ($r$-process). In this paper, we present state-of-the-art global $β$-decay calculations based on the quantified relativistic nuclear energy density functional theory and the deformed proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation. Our analysis considers contributions from allowed and first-forbidden transitions. We used two point-coupling functionals with carefully calibrated time-odd terms and isoscalar pairing strength. The new calculations display consistent results for both employed functionals, especially near the neutron drip line, suggesting slower $β$ decays past the $N=126$ neutron shell closure than in commonly used $β$-decay models. The new rates, along with the existing rates based on the latest non-relativistic calculations, are found to slow down the synthesis of heavy elements in the $r$-process and significantly reduce the contribution of neutron-induced fission. △ Less

Submitted 4 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 10 pages, 4 figures + Supplemental Material

Paths to Superheavy Nuclei

Authors: K. Godbey, F. M. Nunes, M. Albertsson, K. J. Cook, J. M. Gates, K. Hagel, K. Hagino, M. Kowal, Jin Lei, J. Lubian, A. Makowski, P. McGlynn, M. R. Mumpower, W. Nazarewicz, G. Potel, J. L. Pore, J. Rangel, K. Sekizawa, A. S. Umar

Abstract: This document summarizes the discussions and outcomes of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA) topical program "The path to Superheavy Isotopes" held in June 2024 at FRIB. Its content is non-exhaustive, reflecting topics chosen and discussed by the participants. The program aimed to assess the current status of theory in superheavy nuclei (SHN) research and identify necessa… ▽ More This document summarizes the discussions and outcomes of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA) topical program "The path to Superheavy Isotopes" held in June 2024 at FRIB. Its content is non-exhaustive, reflecting topics chosen and discussed by the participants. The program aimed to assess the current status of theory in superheavy nuclei (SHN) research and identify necessary theoretical developments to guide experimental programs and determine fruitful production mechanisms. This report details the intersection of SHN research with other fields, provides an overview of production mechanisms and theoretical models, discusses future needs in theory and experiment, explores other potential avenues for SHN synthesis, and highlights the importance of building a strong theory community in this area. △ Less

Submitted 23 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

Report number: KUNS-3075

Surrogate Models for Linear Response

Authors: L. Jin, A. Ravlić, P. Giuliani, K. Godbey, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Linear response theory is a well-established method in physics and chemistry for exploring excitations of many-body systems. In particular, the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) provides a powerful microscopic framework by building excitations on top of the mean-field vacuum; however, its high computational cost limits model calibration and uncertainty quantification studies. Here, w… ▽ More Linear response theory is a well-established method in physics and chemistry for exploring excitations of many-body systems. In particular, the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) provides a powerful microscopic framework by building excitations on top of the mean-field vacuum; however, its high computational cost limits model calibration and uncertainty quantification studies. Here, we present two complementary QRPA surrogate models and apply them to study response functions of finite nuclei. One is a reduced-order model that exploits the underlying QRPA structure, while the other utilizes the recently developed parametric matrix model algorithm to construct a map between the system's Hamiltonian and observables. Our benchmark applications, the calculation of the electric dipole polarizability of ${}^{180}$Yb and the $β$-decay half-life of ${}^{80}$Ni, show that both emulators can achieve 0.1\%--1\% accuracy while offering a six to seven orders of magnitude speedup compared to state-of-the-art QRPA solvers. These results demonstrate that the developed QRPA emulators are well-positioned to enable Bayesian calibration and large-scale studies of computationally expensive physics models describing the properties of many-body systems. △ Less

Submitted 15 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

Comments: 16 pages, 8 figures, submitted for publication

The mass of $^{101}$Sn and Bayesian extrapolations to the proton drip line

Authors: Christian M. Ireland, Georg Bollen, Scott E. Campbell, Xiangcheng Chen, Hannah Erington, Nadeesha D. Gamage, Kyle Godbey, Alicen M. Houff, Christopher Izzo, Bailey Knight, Sudhanva Lalit, Erich Leistenschneider, E. Marilena Lykiardopoulou, Franziska M. Maier, Witold Nazarewicz, Rodney Orford, William S. Porter, Caleb Quick, Ante Ravlic, Matthew Redshaw, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Ryan Ringle, Stefan Schwarz, Chandana S. Sumithrarachchi, Adrian A. Valverde , et al. (1 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The favorable energy configurations of nuclei at magic numbers of ${N}$ neutrons and ${Z}$ protons are fundamental for understanding the evolution of nuclear structure. The ${Z=50}$ (tin) isotopic chain is a frontier for such studies, with particular interest in nuclear binding at and around the doubly-magic \textsuperscript{100}Sn isotope. Precise mass measurements of neutron-deficient isotopes p… ▽ More The favorable energy configurations of nuclei at magic numbers of ${N}$ neutrons and ${Z}$ protons are fundamental for understanding the evolution of nuclear structure. The ${Z=50}$ (tin) isotopic chain is a frontier for such studies, with particular interest in nuclear binding at and around the doubly-magic \textsuperscript{100}Sn isotope. Precise mass measurements of neutron-deficient isotopes provide necessary anchor points for mass models to test extrapolations near the proton drip line, where experimental studies currently remain out of reach. In this work, we report the first Penning trap mass measurement of \textsuperscript{101}Sn. The determined mass excess of $-59\,889.89(96)$~keV for \textsuperscript{101}Sn represents a factor of 300 improvement over the current precision and indicates that \textsuperscript{101}Sn is less bound than previously thought. Mass predictions from a recently developed Bayesian model combination (BMC) framework employing statistical machine learning and nuclear masses computed within seven global models based on nuclear Density Functional Theory (DFT) agree within 1$σ$ with experimental masses from the $48 \le Z \le 52$ isotopic chains. This provides confidence in the extrapolation of tin masses down to $N=46$. △ Less

Submitted 13 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

Extraction of ground-state nuclear deformations from ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions: Nuclear structure physics context

Authors: J. Dobaczewski, A. Gade, K. Godbey, R. V. F. Janssens, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: The collective-flow-assisted nuclear shape-imaging method in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions has recently been used to characterize nuclear collective states. In this paper, we assess the foundations of the shape-imaging technique employed in these studies. We argue that some current UHIC nuclear imaging techniques neglect fundamental aspects of spontaneous symmetry-breaking and symmetry-r… ▽ More The collective-flow-assisted nuclear shape-imaging method in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions has recently been used to characterize nuclear collective states. In this paper, we assess the foundations of the shape-imaging technique employed in these studies. We argue that some current UHIC nuclear imaging techniques neglect fundamental aspects of spontaneous symmetry-breaking and symmetry-restoration in colliding ions and incorrectly infer one-body multipole moments from studies of nucleonic correlations. Therefore, the impact of this approach on nuclear structure research has been overstated. Conversely, efforts to incorporate existing knowledge on nuclear shapes into analysis pipelines can be beneficial for benchmarking tools and calibrating models used to extract information from ultra-relativistic heavy-ion experiments. △ Less

Submitted 26 October, 2025; v1 submitted 7 July, 2025; originally announced July 2025.

Comments: Version Accepted to Phys. Rev. Res

Quadrupole Strength in Isobaric Triplets

Authors: B. C. Backes, J. Dobaczewski, D. Muir, W. Nazarewicz, P. -G. Reinhard, M. A. Bentley, R. Wadsworth

Abstract: The dependence of the $E2$ matrix elements on isospin projection $T_z$ is linked to the conservation of the isospin symmetry. To study this conjecture, we calculated the ${B(E2: 2^+ \rightarrow 0^+)}$ rates for the even-even $T=1$ mirror nuclei with $42$ $\leq$ $A$ $\leq$ $98$ within nuclear density functional theory, employing the generalized Bohr Hamiltonian, and carrying out angular momentum pr… ▽ More The dependence of the $E2$ matrix elements on isospin projection $T_z$ is linked to the conservation of the isospin symmetry. To study this conjecture, we calculated the ${B(E2: 2^+ \rightarrow 0^+)}$ rates for the even-even $T=1$ mirror nuclei with $42$ $\leq$ $A$ $\leq$ $98$ within nuclear density functional theory, employing the generalized Bohr Hamiltonian, and carrying out angular momentum projection. We demonstrated that collective effects are crucial for describing experimental data near the $N=Z$ line without invoking explicit beyond-Coulomb isospin symmetry-breaking corrections. We also determined the $B(E2\downarrow)$ values for odd-odd $T_z=0$ nuclei $^{70}Br$ and $^{78}Y$ in doubly-blocked configurations. We discussed the requirements for accurately describing isobaric analog states and emphasized how current theoretical results should be interpreted within the study of isospin symmetry across isospin triplets. △ Less

Submitted 21 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Reduction in nuclear size and quadrupole deformation of high-spin isomers of 127,129In

Authors: A. R. Vernon, C. L. Binnersley, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, K. M. Lynch, T. Miyagi, J. Billowes, M. L. Bissell, T. E. Cocolios, J. P. Delaroche, J. Dobaczewski, M. Dupuis, K. T. Flanagan, W. Gins, M. Girod, G. Georgiev, R. P. de Groote, J. D. Holt, J. Hustings, Á. Koszorús, D. Leimbach, J. Libert, W. Nazarewicz, G. Neyens, N. Pillet, P. -G. Reinhard , et al. (7 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: We employed laser spectroscopy of atomic transitions to measure the nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic properties of the high-spin isomeric states in neutron-rich indium isotopes (Z = 49) near the closed proton and neutron shells at Z = 50 and N = 82. Our data reveal a reduction in the nuclear charge radius and intrinsic quadrupole moment when protons and neutrons are fully aligned in 129In(… ▽ More We employed laser spectroscopy of atomic transitions to measure the nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic properties of the high-spin isomeric states in neutron-rich indium isotopes (Z = 49) near the closed proton and neutron shells at Z = 50 and N = 82. Our data reveal a reduction in the nuclear charge radius and intrinsic quadrupole moment when protons and neutrons are fully aligned in 129In(N = 80), to form the high spin isomer. Such a reduction is not observed in 127In(N = 78), where more complex configurations can be formed by the existence of four neutron-holes. These observations are not consistently described by nuclear theory. △ Less

Submitted 20 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Comments: Accepted in Physical Review Letters

Charge radii measurements of exotic tin isotopes in the proximity of $N=50$ and $N=82$

Authors: F. P. Gustafsson, L. V. Rodríguez, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, T. Miyagi, S. W. Bai, D. L. Balabanski, C. L. Binnersley, M. L. Bissell, K. Blaum, B. Cheal, T. E. Cocolios, G. J. Farooq-Smith, K. T. Flanagan, S. Franchoo, A. Galindo-Uribarri, G. Georgiev, W. Gins, C. Gorges, R. P. de Groote, H. Heylen, J. D. Holt, A. Kanellakopoulos, J. Karthein, S. Kaufmann, Á. Koszorús , et al. (29 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: We report nuclear charge radii for the isotopes $^{104-134}$Sn, measured using two different collinear laser spectroscopy techniques at ISOLDE-CERN. These measurements clarify the archlike trend in charge radii along the isotopic chain and reveal an odd-even staggering that is more pronounced near the $N=50$ and $N=82$ shell closures. The observed local trends are well described by both nuclear de… ▽ More We report nuclear charge radii for the isotopes $^{104-134}$Sn, measured using two different collinear laser spectroscopy techniques at ISOLDE-CERN. These measurements clarify the archlike trend in charge radii along the isotopic chain and reveal an odd-even staggering that is more pronounced near the $N=50$ and $N=82$ shell closures. The observed local trends are well described by both nuclear density functional theory and valence space in-medium similarity renormalization group calculations. Both theories predict appreciable contributions from beyond-mean-field correlations to the charge radii of the neutron-deficient tin isotopes. The models fall short, however, of reproducing the magnitude of the known $B(E2)$ transition probabilities, highlighting the remaining challenges in achieving a unified description of both ground-state properties and collective phenomena. △ Less

Submitted 23 April, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Charge radii of neutron-rich scandium isotopes and the seniority symmetry in the $0f_{7/2}$ shell

Authors: S. W. Bai, X. F. Yang, Á. Koszorús, J. C. Berengut, J. Billowes, M. L. Bissell, K. Blaum, A. Borschevsky, P. Campbell, B. Cheal, C. S. Devlin, K. T. Flanagan, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, H. Heylen, J. D. Holt, B. S. Hu, A. Kanellakopoulos, J. Krämer, V. Lagaki, B. Maaß, S. Malbrunot-Ettenauer, T. Miyagi, K. König, M. Kortelainen, W. Nazarewicz , et al. (8 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Nuclear charge radii of neutron-rich $^{47-49}$Sc isotopes were measured using collinear laser spectroscopy at CERN-ISOLDE. The new data reveal that the charge radii of scandium isotopes exhibit a distinct trend between $N=20$ and $N=28$, with $^{41}$Sc and $^{49}$Sc isotopes having similar values, mirroring the closeness of the charge radii of $^{40}$Ca and $^{48}$Ca. Theoretical models that succ… ▽ More Nuclear charge radii of neutron-rich $^{47-49}$Sc isotopes were measured using collinear laser spectroscopy at CERN-ISOLDE. The new data reveal that the charge radii of scandium isotopes exhibit a distinct trend between $N=20$ and $N=28$, with $^{41}$Sc and $^{49}$Sc isotopes having similar values, mirroring the closeness of the charge radii of $^{40}$Ca and $^{48}$Ca. Theoretical models that successfully interpret the radii of calcium isotopes could not account for the observed behavior in scandium radii, in particular the reduced odd-even staggering. Remarkably, the inclusion of the new $^{49}$Sc radius data has unveiled a similar trend in the charge radii of $N=28$ isotones and $Z=20$ isotopes when adding the neutrons atop the $^{40}$Ca core and the protons atop the $^{48}$Ca core, respectively. We demonstrate that this trend is consistent with the prediction of the seniority model. △ Less

Submitted 16 April, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Comments: Version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

Electron capture of superheavy nuclei with realistic lepton wave functions

Authors: A. Ravlić, P. Schwerdtfeger, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: The superheavy nuclei push the periodic table of the elements and the chart of the nuclides to their limits, providing a unique laboratory for studies of the electron-nucleus interactions. The most important weak decay mode in known superheavy nuclei is electron capture (EC). In the standard calculations of EC, the lepton wave functions are usually considered in the lowest-order approximation. In… ▽ More The superheavy nuclei push the periodic table of the elements and the chart of the nuclides to their limits, providing a unique laboratory for studies of the electron-nucleus interactions. The most important weak decay mode in known superheavy nuclei is electron capture (EC). In the standard calculations of EC, the lepton wave functions are usually considered in the lowest-order approximation. In this work, we investigate the sensitivity of EC rates on the choice of the electron wave functions by (i) assuming the single-particle approximation for the electron wave functions, and (ii) carrying out Dirac-Hartree-Fock (DHF) calculations. The nuclear response is generated based on the state-of-the-art quasiparticle random phase approximation employing relativistic nuclear energy density functional theory. We show that using the improved lepton wave functions reduces the EC rates up to 40\% in the superheavy nucleus oganesson ($Z=118$). Interestingly, because of screening effects, the difference between the EC rates obtained with the DHF and single-particle calculations is fairly small. △ Less

Submitted 18 March, 2025; originally announced March 2025.

Comments: 12 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. A

Puzzling $B(E2;0^+\rightarrow 2^+)$ strength in the proton dripline nucleus $^{36}$Ca

Authors: Z. C. Xu, S. M. Wang, T. Beck, A. Gade, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Recent measurements of the $E2$ transition rate from the ground state to the first 2$^+$ excited state of the proton dripline nucleus $^{36}$Ca show an unusual pattern when compared to its isotopic neighbor $^{38}$Ca: despite having a higher $E_x(2_1^+)$ excitation energy, the $B(E2; 0^+_1\rightarrow 2^+_1)$ rate in $^{36}$Ca is larger. The question that naturally arises is to what extent this obs… ▽ More Recent measurements of the $E2$ transition rate from the ground state to the first 2$^+$ excited state of the proton dripline nucleus $^{36}$Ca show an unusual pattern when compared to its isotopic neighbor $^{38}$Ca: despite having a higher $E_x(2_1^+)$ excitation energy, the $B(E2; 0^+_1\rightarrow 2^+_1)$ rate in $^{36}$Ca is larger. The question that naturally arises is to what extent this observation can be attributed to the unbound character of the $2^+_1$ state. To understand the influence of the continuum space on the low-energy properties of $^{36}$Ca, we carried out Gamow shell model calculations that can account for the continuum coupling effects associated with the occupation of unbound $fp$ shells. We found that in the threshold $2^+$ state, $^{36}$Ca is spatially diffused, which impacts the observed $B(E2)$ trend. △ Less

Submitted 16 July, 2025; v1 submitted 19 February, 2025; originally announced February 2025.

Comments: 6 pages, 5 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. C 112, L011302 (2025)

White Paper on Software Infrastructure for Advanced Nuclear Physics Computing

Authors: P. M. Jacobs, A. Boehnlein, B. Sawatzky, J. Carlson, I. Cloet, M. Diefenthaler, R. G. Edwards, K. Godbey, W. R. Hix, K. Orginos, T. Papenbrock, M. Ploskon, C. Ratti, R. Soltz, T. Wenaus, L. Andreoli, J. Brodsky, D. Brown, A. Bulgac, G. D. Chung, S. J. Coleman, J. Detwiler, A. Dubey, R. Ehlers, S. Gandolfi , et al. (27 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: This White Paper documents the discussion and consensus conclusions of the workshop "Software Infrastructure for Advanced Nuclear Physics Computing" (SANPC 24), which was held at Jefferson Lab on June 20-22, 2024. The workshop brought together members of the US Nuclear Physics community with data scientists and funding agency representatives, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in advanced… ▽ More This White Paper documents the discussion and consensus conclusions of the workshop "Software Infrastructure for Advanced Nuclear Physics Computing" (SANPC 24), which was held at Jefferson Lab on June 20-22, 2024. The workshop brought together members of the US Nuclear Physics community with data scientists and funding agency representatives, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in advanced computing for Nuclear Physics in the coming decade. Opportunities for sustainable support and growth are identified, within the context of existing and currently planned DOE and NSF programs. △ Less

Submitted 21 April, 2025; v1 submitted 1 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Comments: Final version

Motivations for Early High-Profile FRIB Experiments

Authors: B. Alex Brown, Alexandra Gade, S. Ragnar Stroberg, Jutta Escher, Kevin Fossez, Pablo Giuliani, Calem R. Hoffman, Witold Nazarewicz, Chien-Yeah Seng, Agnieszka Sorensen, Nicole Vassh, Daniel Bazin, Kyle W. Brown, Mark A. Capri, Heather Crawford, Pawel Danielewic, Christian Drischler, Ronald F. Garcia Ruiz, Kyle Godbey, Robert Grzywacz, Linda Hlophe, Jeremy W. Holt, Hiro Iwasaki, Dean Lee, Silvia M. Lenzi , et al. (17 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: This white paper is the result of a collaboration by those that attended a workshop at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), organized by the FRIB Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA), on Theoretical Justifications and Motivations for Early High-Profile FRIB Experiments. It covers a wide range of topics related to the science that will be explored at FRIB. After a brief introduction, the sections addre… ▽ More This white paper is the result of a collaboration by those that attended a workshop at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), organized by the FRIB Theory Alliance (FRIB-TA), on Theoretical Justifications and Motivations for Early High-Profile FRIB Experiments. It covers a wide range of topics related to the science that will be explored at FRIB. After a brief introduction, the sections address: (II) Overview of theoretical methods, (III) Experimental capabilities, (IV) Structure, (V) Near-threshold Physics, (VI) Reaction mechanisms, (VII) Nuclear equations of state, (VIII) Nuclear astrophysics, (IX) Fundamental symmetries, and (X) Experimental design and uncertainty quantification. △ Less

Submitted 22 November, 2024; v1 submitted 8 October, 2024; originally announced October 2024.

Comments: 227 pages, 24 figures

Weak decays in superheavy nuclei

Authors: A. Ravlić, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Superheavy nuclei represent the heaviest atoms and nuclides known at the limit of mass and charge. The observed superheavy nuclei are all proton-rich; they decay primarily by emitting $α$ particles and fission, with a possible small electron capture (EC) branch. Due to the huge atomic numbers and associated relativistic effects, EC-decays of superheavy systems are expected to differ from what is k… ▽ More Superheavy nuclei represent the heaviest atoms and nuclides known at the limit of mass and charge. The observed superheavy nuclei are all proton-rich; they decay primarily by emitting $α$ particles and fission, with a possible small electron capture (EC) branch. Due to the huge atomic numbers and associated relativistic effects, EC-decays of superheavy systems are expected to differ from what is known in lighter nuclei. In this paper, using the quantified relativistic nuclear density functional theory and the quasiparticle random-phase approximation with the interaction optimized to experimental $β^-$-decay half-lives and Gamow-Teller resonance energies, we study the EC/$β^\pm$-decays in $Z = 101-118$ nuclei. Both allowed ($1^+$) and first-forbidden ($0^-, 1^-$ and $2^-$) transitions are considered. We show that the first-forbidden $1^-$ transitions dominate the decay rates in almost all studied nuclei. For proton-rich nuclei, EC dominates over $β^+$ decay. We identify 44 nuclei with EC/$β^+$ branching ratio larger than 5\%, indicating a possible competition with $α$-decay and spontaneous fission channels. △ Less

Submitted 6 September, 2024; originally announced September 2024.

Comments: 7 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publication

Genetic Programming for the Nuclear Many-Body Problem: a Guide

Authors: Illya Bakurov, Pablo Giuliani, Kyle Godbey, Nathaniel Haut, Wolfgang Banzhaf, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: Genetic Programming is an evolutionary algorithm that generates computer programs, or mathematical expressions, to solve complex problems. In this Guide, we demonstrate how to use Genetic Programming to develop surrogate models to mitigate the computational costs of modeling atomic nuclei with ever increasing complexity. The computational burden escalates when uncertainty quantification is pursued… ▽ More Genetic Programming is an evolutionary algorithm that generates computer programs, or mathematical expressions, to solve complex problems. In this Guide, we demonstrate how to use Genetic Programming to develop surrogate models to mitigate the computational costs of modeling atomic nuclei with ever increasing complexity. The computational burden escalates when uncertainty quantification is pursued, or when observables must be globally computed for thousands of nuclei. By studying three models in which the mean field depends on the total particle density self-consistently, we show that by constructing reduced order models supported by Genetic Programming one can speed up many-body computations by several orders of magnitude with a negligible loss in accuracy △ Less

Submitted 12 June, 2025; v1 submitted 6 June, 2024; originally announced June 2024.

Model orthogonalization and Bayesian forecast mixing via Principal Component Analysis

Authors: Pablo Giuliani, Kyle Godbey, Vojtech Kejzlar, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: One can improve predictability in the unknown domain by combining forecasts of imperfect complex computational models using a Bayesian statistical machine learning framework. In many cases, however, the models used in the mixing process are similar. In addition to contaminating the model space, the existence of such similar, or even redundant, models during the multimodeling process can result in… ▽ More One can improve predictability in the unknown domain by combining forecasts of imperfect complex computational models using a Bayesian statistical machine learning framework. In many cases, however, the models used in the mixing process are similar. In addition to contaminating the model space, the existence of such similar, or even redundant, models during the multimodeling process can result in misinterpretation of results and deterioration of predictive performance. In this work we describe a method based on the Principal Component Analysis that eliminates model redundancy. We show that by adding model orthogonalization to the proposed Bayesian Model Combination framework, one can arrive at better prediction accuracy and reach excellent uncertainty quantification performance. △ Less

Submitted 20 August, 2024; v1 submitted 17 May, 2024; originally announced May 2024.

Comments: 10 pages, 4 figures

Nuclear charge radii of germanium isotopes around $N$ = 40

Authors: S. J. Wang, A. Kanellakopoulos, X. F. Yang, S. W. Bai, J. Billowes, M. L. Bissell, K. Blaum, B. Cheal, C. S. Devlin, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, J. Z. Han, H. Heylen, S. Kaufmann, K. Konig, A. Koszorus, S. Lechner, S. Malbrunot-Ettenauer, W. Nazarewicz, R. Neugart, G. Neyens, W. Nortershauser, T. Ratajczyk, P. -G. Reinhard, L. V. Rodrıguez, S. Sels , et al. (4 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Collinear laser spectroscopy measurements were performed on $^{68-74}$Ge isotopes ($Z = 32$) at ISOLDE-CERN, by probing the $4s^2 4p^2 \, ^3\!P_1 \rightarrow 4s^2 4p 5s \, ^3\!P_1^o$ atomic transition (269~nm) of germanium. Nuclear charge radii are determined via the measured isotope shifts, revealing a larger local variation than the neighboring isotopic chains. Nuclear density functional theory… ▽ More Collinear laser spectroscopy measurements were performed on $^{68-74}$Ge isotopes ($Z = 32$) at ISOLDE-CERN, by probing the $4s^2 4p^2 \, ^3\!P_1 \rightarrow 4s^2 4p 5s \, ^3\!P_1^o$ atomic transition (269~nm) of germanium. Nuclear charge radii are determined via the measured isotope shifts, revealing a larger local variation than the neighboring isotopic chains. Nuclear density functional theory with the Fayans functionals Fy($Δr$,HFB) and Fy(IVP), and the SV-min Skyrme describes the experimental data for the differential charge radii $δ\langle r^{2} \rangle$ and charge radii $R_{\rm c}$ within the theoretical uncertainties. The observed large variation in the charge radii of germanium isotopes is better accounted for by theoretical models incorporating ground state quadrupole correlations. This suggests that the polarization effects due to pairing and deformation contribute to the observed large odd-even staggering in the charge radii of the Ge isotopic chain. △ Less

Submitted 9 April, 2024; originally announced April 2024.

Comments: 6 pages,5 figures

Extended Fayans energy density functional: optimization and analysis

Authors: Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Jared O'Neal, Stefan M. Wild, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: The Fayans energy density functional (EDF) has been very successful in describing global nuclear properties (binding energies, charge radii, and especially differences of radii) within nuclear density functional theory. In a recent study, supervised machine learning methods were used to calibrate the Fayans EDF. Building on this experience, in this work we explore the effect of adding isovector pa… ▽ More The Fayans energy density functional (EDF) has been very successful in describing global nuclear properties (binding energies, charge radii, and especially differences of radii) within nuclear density functional theory. In a recent study, supervised machine learning methods were used to calibrate the Fayans EDF. Building on this experience, in this work we explore the effect of adding isovector pairing terms, which are responsible for different proton and neutron pairing fields, by comparing a 13D model without the isovector pairing term against the extended 14D model. At the heart of the calibration is a carefully selected heterogeneous dataset of experimental observables representing ground-state properties of spherical even-even nuclei. To quantify the impact of the calibration dataset on model parameters and the importance of the new terms, we carry out advanced sensitivity and correlation analysis on both models. The extension to 14D improves the overall quality of the model by about 30%. The enhanced degrees of freedom of the 14D model reduce correlations between model parameters and enhance sensitivity. △ Less

Submitted 23 February, 2024; originally announced February 2024.

Comments: 29-page article, 1-page notice

Multimodal fission from self-consistent calculations

Authors: Daniel Lay, Eric Flynn, Sylvester Agbemava, Kyle Godbey, Witold Nazarewicz, Samuel A. Giuliani, Jhilam Sadhukhan

Abstract: When multiple fission modes coexist in a given nucleus, distinct fragment yield distributions appear. Multimodal fission has been observed in a number of fissioning nuclei spanning the nuclear chart, and this phenomenon is expected to affect the nuclear abundances synthesized during the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process). In this study, we generalize the previously proposed hybrid model for… ▽ More When multiple fission modes coexist in a given nucleus, distinct fragment yield distributions appear. Multimodal fission has been observed in a number of fissioning nuclei spanning the nuclear chart, and this phenomenon is expected to affect the nuclear abundances synthesized during the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process). In this study, we generalize the previously proposed hybrid model for fission-fragment yield distributions to predict competing fission modes and estimate the resulting yield distributions. Our framework allows for a comprehensive large-scale calculation of fission fragment yields suited for r-process nuclear network studies. Nuclear density functional theory is employed to obtain the potential energy and collective inertia tensor on a multidimensional collective space defined by mass multipole moments. Fission pathways and their relative probabilities are determined using the nudged elastic band method. Based on this information, mass and charge fission yields are predicted using the recently developed hybrid model. Fission properties of fermium isotopes are calculated in the axial quadrupole-octupole collective space for three energy density functionals (EDFs). Disagreement between the EDFs appears when multiple fission modes are present. Within our framework, the UNEDF1$_{\textrm{HFB}}$ EDF agrees best with experimental data. Calculations in the axial quadrupole-octupole-hexadecapole collective space improve the agreement with the experiment for SkM$^{*}$. We also discuss the sensitivity of fission predictions on the choice of EDF for several superheavy nuclei. Fission fragment yield predictions for nuclei with multiple fission modes are sensitive to the underlying EDF. For large-scale calculations in which a minimal number of collective coordinates is considered, UNEDF1$_{\textrm{HFB}}$ provides the best description of experimental data. △ Less

Submitted 15 February, 2024; v1 submitted 20 November, 2023; originally announced November 2023.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. C 109, 044306 (2024)

Local Bayesian Dirichlet mixing of imperfect models

Authors: Vojtech Kejzlar, Léo Neufcourt, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: To improve the predictability of complex computational models in the experimentally-unknown domains, we propose a Bayesian statistical machine learning framework utilizing the Dirichlet distribution that combines results of several imperfect models. This framework can be viewed as an extension of Bayesian stacking. To illustrate the method, we study the ability of Bayesian model averaging and mixi… ▽ More To improve the predictability of complex computational models in the experimentally-unknown domains, we propose a Bayesian statistical machine learning framework utilizing the Dirichlet distribution that combines results of several imperfect models. This framework can be viewed as an extension of Bayesian stacking. To illustrate the method, we study the ability of Bayesian model averaging and mixing techniques to mine nuclear masses. We show that the global and local mixtures of models reach excellent performance on both prediction accuracy and uncertainty quantification and are preferable to classical Bayesian model averaging. Additionally, our statistical analysis indicates that improving model predictions through mixing rather than mixing of corrected models leads to more robust extrapolations. △ Less

Submitted 2 November, 2023; originally announced November 2023.

Electromagnetic Properties of Indium Isotopes Elucidate the Doubly Magic Character of $^{100}$Sn

Authors: J. Karthein, C. M. Ricketts, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, J. Billowes, C. L. Binnersley, T. E. Cocolios, J. Dobaczewski, G. J. Farooq-Smith, K. T. Flanagan, G. Georgiev, W. Gins, R. P. de Groote, F. P. Gustafsson, J. D. Holt, A. Kanellakopoulos, Á. Koszorús, D. Leimbach, K. M. Lynch, T. Miyagi, W. Nazarewicz, G. Neyens, P. -G. Reinhard, B. K. Sahoo, A. R. Vernon, S. G. Wilkins , et al. (2 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Our understanding of nuclear properties in the vicinity of $^{100}$Sn, suggested to be the heaviest doubly magic nucleus with equal numbers of protons (Z=50) and neutrons (N=50), has been a long-standing challenge for experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Contradictory experimental evidence exists on the role of nuclear collectivity in this region of the nuclear chart. Using precision lase… ▽ More Our understanding of nuclear properties in the vicinity of $^{100}$Sn, suggested to be the heaviest doubly magic nucleus with equal numbers of protons (Z=50) and neutrons (N=50), has been a long-standing challenge for experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Contradictory experimental evidence exists on the role of nuclear collectivity in this region of the nuclear chart. Using precision laser spectroscopy, we measured the ground-state electromagnetic moments of indium (Z=49) isotopes approaching the N=50 neutron number down to 101In, and nuclear charge radii of 101-131In spanning almost the complete range between the two major neutron closed-shells at N=50 and N=82. Our results for both nuclear charge radii and quadrupole moments reveal striking parabolic trends as a function of the neutron number, with a clear reduction toward these two neutron closed-shells, thus supporting a doubly magic character of $^{100}$Sn. Two complementary nuclear many-body frameworks, density functional theory and ab initio methods, elucidate our findings. A detailed comparison with our experimental results exposes deficiencies of nuclear models, establishing a benchmark for future theoretical developments. △ Less

Submitted 30 September, 2024; v1 submitted 23 October, 2023; originally announced October 2023.

Comments: 12 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables; text-identical to Nature Physics article (2024)

Journal ref: Nature Physics 20 (2024) 1719

Neural Network Emulation of Spontaneous Fission

Authors: Daniel Lay, Eric Flynn, Samuel A. Giuliani, Witold Nazarewicz, Leó Neufcourt

Abstract: Large-scale computations of fission properties are an important ingredient for nuclear reaction network calculations simulating rapid neutron-capture process (the r process) nucleosynthesis. Due to the large number of fissioning nuclei contributing to the r process, a microscopic description of fission based on nuclear density functional theory (DFT) is computationally challenging. We explore the… ▽ More Large-scale computations of fission properties are an important ingredient for nuclear reaction network calculations simulating rapid neutron-capture process (the r process) nucleosynthesis. Due to the large number of fissioning nuclei contributing to the r process, a microscopic description of fission based on nuclear density functional theory (DFT) is computationally challenging. We explore the use of neural networks (NNs) to construct DFT emulators capable of predicting potential energy surfaces and collective inertia tensors across the whole nuclear chart. We use constrained Hartree-Fock-Boguliubov (HFB) calculations to predict the potential energy and collective inertia tensor in the axial quadrupole and octupole collective coordinates, for a set of nuclei in the r-process region. We then employ NNs to emulate the HFB energy and collective inertia tensor across the considered region of the nuclear chart. Least-action pathways characterizing spontaneous fission half-lives and fragment yields are obtained using the nudged elastic band method. The potential energy predicted by NNs agrees with the DFT value to within a root-mean-square error of 500 keV, and the collective inertia components agree to within an order of magnitude. The exit points on the outer turning line are found to be well emulated. For the spontaneous fission half-lives the NN emulation provides values that are found to agree with the DFT predictions within a factor of $10^3$ across more than 70 orders of magnitude. Neural networks are able to emulate the potential energy and collective inertia well enough to reasonably predict physical observables. Future directions of study, such as the inclusion of additional collective degrees of freedom and active learning, will improve the predictive power of microscopic theory and further enable large-scale fission studies. △ Less

Submitted 24 January, 2024; v1 submitted 2 October, 2023; originally announced October 2023.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. C 109, 044305 (2024)

Nucleonic Shells and Nuclear Masses

Authors: Landon Buskirk, Kyle Godbey, Witold Nazarewicz, Wojciech Satula

Abstract: The binding energy of an isotope is a sensitive indicator of the underlying shell structure as it reflects the net energy content of a nucleus. Since magic nuclei are significantly lighter, or more bound, compared to their neighbors, the presence of nucleonic shell structure makes an imprint on nuclear masses. In this work, using a carefully designed binding-energy indicator, we catalog the appear… ▽ More The binding energy of an isotope is a sensitive indicator of the underlying shell structure as it reflects the net energy content of a nucleus. Since magic nuclei are significantly lighter, or more bound, compared to their neighbors, the presence of nucleonic shell structure makes an imprint on nuclear masses. In this work, using a carefully designed binding-energy indicator, we catalog the appearance of spherical and deformed shell and subshell closures throughout the nuclear landscape. After presenting experimental evidence for shell and subshell closures as seen through the lens of nuclear masses, we study the ability of global nuclear mass models to predict local binding-energy variations related to shell effects. △ Less

Submitted 20 March, 2024; v1 submitted 28 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Comments: 12 pages, 8 figures, 1 table

In search of beyond mean-field signatures in heavy-ion fusion reactions

Authors: R. T. deSouza, K. Godbey, S. Hudan, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Examination of high-resolution, experimental fusion excitation functions for $^{16,17,18}$O + $^{12}$C reveals a remarkable irregular behavior that is rooted in the structure of both the colliding nuclei and the quasi-molecular composite system. The impact of the $\ell$-dependent fusion barriers is assessed using a time-dependent Hartree-Fock model. Barrier penetrabilities, taken directly from a d… ▽ More Examination of high-resolution, experimental fusion excitation functions for $^{16,17,18}$O + $^{12}$C reveals a remarkable irregular behavior that is rooted in the structure of both the colliding nuclei and the quasi-molecular composite system. The impact of the $\ell$-dependent fusion barriers is assessed using a time-dependent Hartree-Fock model. Barrier penetrabilities, taken directly from a density-constrained calculation, provide a significantly improved description of the experimental data as compared to the standard Hill-Wheeler approach. The remaining deviations between the parameter-free theoretical mean-field predictions and experimental fusion cross sections are exposed and discussed. △ Less

Submitted 26 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Comments: Main manuscript, 6 pages, 4 figures; Supplemental material 2 videos and 1 figure

Surprising charge-radius kink in the Sc isotopes at N=20

Authors: Kristian König, Stephan Fritzsche, Gaute Hagen, Jason D. Holt, Andrew Klose, Jeremy Lantis, Yuan Liu, Kei Minamisono, Takayuki Miyagi, Witold Nazarewicz, Thomas Papenbrock, Skyy V. Pineda, Robert Powel, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard

Abstract: Charge radii of neutron deficient 40Sc and 41Sc nuclei were determined using collinear laser spectroscopy. With the new data, the chain of Sc charge radii extends below the neutron magic number N=20 and shows a pronounced kink, generally taken as a signature of a shell closure, but one notably absent in the neighboring Ca, K and Ar isotopic chains. Theoretical models that explain the trend at N=20… ▽ More Charge radii of neutron deficient 40Sc and 41Sc nuclei were determined using collinear laser spectroscopy. With the new data, the chain of Sc charge radii extends below the neutron magic number N=20 and shows a pronounced kink, generally taken as a signature of a shell closure, but one notably absent in the neighboring Ca, K and Ar isotopic chains. Theoretical models that explain the trend at N=20 for the Ca isotopes cannot reproduce this puzzling behavior. △ Less

Submitted 6 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 102501 (2023)

Description of the proton-decaying 0$^+_2$ resonance of the $α$ particle

Authors: N. Michel, W. Nazarewicz, M. Płoszajczak

Abstract: The recent precise experimental determination of the monopole transition form factor from the ground state of $^4$He to its $0^+_2$ resonance via electron scattering has reinvigorated discussions about the nature of this first excited state of the $α$ particle. The $0^+_2$ state has been traditionally interpreted in the literature as the isoscalar monopole resonance (breathing mode) or, alternativ… ▽ More The recent precise experimental determination of the monopole transition form factor from the ground state of $^4$He to its $0^+_2$ resonance via electron scattering has reinvigorated discussions about the nature of this first excited state of the $α$ particle. The $0^+_2$ state has been traditionally interpreted in the literature as the isoscalar monopole resonance (breathing mode) or, alternatively, as a particle-hole shell-model excitation. To better understand the nature of this state, which lies only $\sim$ 410 keV above the proton emission threshold, we employ the coupled-channel representation of the no-core Gamow shell model. By considering the $[^3$H$ + p]$, $[^3$He$ + n]$, and $[^2$H+$^2$H] reaction channels, we explain the excitation energy and monopole form-factor of the $0^+_2$ state. We argue that the continuum coupling strongly impacts the nature of this state, which carries characteristics of the proton decay threshold. △ Less

Submitted 30 October, 2023; v1 submitted 8 June, 2023; originally announced June 2023.

Comments: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev. Lett

Hexadecapole strength in the rare isotopes $^{74,76}$Kr

Authors: M. Spieker, S. E. Agbemava, D. Bazin, S. Biswas P. D. Cottle, P. J. Farris, A. Gade, T. Ginter, S. Giraud, K. W. Kemper, J. Li, W. Nazarewicz, S. Noji, J. Pereira, L. A. Riley, M. Smith, D. Weisshaar, R. G. T. Zegers

Abstract: In the Ge-Sr mass region, isotopes with neutron number $N \leq 40$ are known to feature rapid shape changes with both nucleon number and angular momentum. To gain new insights into their structure, inelastic proton scattering experiments in inverse kinematics were performed on the rare isotopes $^{74,76}$Kr. This work focuses on observables related to the $J^π = 4^+_1$ states of the Kr isotopes an… ▽ More In the Ge-Sr mass region, isotopes with neutron number $N \leq 40$ are known to feature rapid shape changes with both nucleon number and angular momentum. To gain new insights into their structure, inelastic proton scattering experiments in inverse kinematics were performed on the rare isotopes $^{74,76}$Kr. This work focuses on observables related to the $J^π = 4^+_1$ states of the Kr isotopes and, in particular, on the hexadecapole degree of freedom. By performing coupled-channels calculations, hexadecapole deformation parameters $β_4$ were determined for the $J^π = 4^+_1$ states of $^{74,76}$Kr from inelastic proton scattering cross sections. Two possible coupled-channels solutions were found. A comparison to predictions from nuclear energy density functional theory, employing both non-relativistic and relativistic functionals, clearly favors the large, positive $β_4$ solutions. These $β_4$ values are unambiguously linked to the well deformed prolate configuration. Given the $β_2 - β_4$ trend, established in this work, it appears that $β_4$ values could provide a sensitive measure of the nuclear shell structure. △ Less

Submitted 27 April, 2023; originally announced April 2023.

Comments: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physics Letters B

Fundamental Symmetries, Neutrons, and Neutrinos (FSNN): Whitepaper for the 2023 NSAC Long Range Plan

Authors: B. Acharya, C. Adams, A. A. Aleksandrova, K. Alfonso, P. An, S. Baeßler, A. B. Balantekin, P. S. Barbeau, F. Bellini, V. Bellini, R. S. Beminiwattha, J. C. Bernauer, T. Bhattacharya, M. Bishof, A. E. Bolotnikov, P. A. Breur, M. Brodeur, J. P. Brodsky, L. J. Broussard, T. Brunner, D. P. Burdette, J. Caylor, M. Chiu, V. Cirigliano, J. A. Clark , et al. (154 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: This whitepaper presents the research priorities decided on by attendees of the 2022 Town Meeting for Fundamental Symmetries, Neutrons and Neutrinos, which took place December 13-15, 2022 in Chapel Hill, NC, as part of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC) 2023 Long Range Planning process. A total of 275 scientists registered for the meeting. The whitepaper makes a number of explicit recom… ▽ More This whitepaper presents the research priorities decided on by attendees of the 2022 Town Meeting for Fundamental Symmetries, Neutrons and Neutrinos, which took place December 13-15, 2022 in Chapel Hill, NC, as part of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC) 2023 Long Range Planning process. A total of 275 scientists registered for the meeting. The whitepaper makes a number of explicit recommendations and justifies them in detail. △ Less

Submitted 6 April, 2023; originally announced April 2023.

Electric dipole polarizability of $^{40}$Ca

Authors: R. W. Fearick, P. von Neumann-Cosel, S. Bacca, J. Birkhan, F. Bonaiti, I. Brandherm, G. Hagen, H. Matsubara, W. Nazarewicz, N. Pietralla, V. Yu. Ponomarev, P. -G. Reinhard, X. Roca-Maza, A. Richter, A. Schwenk, J. Simonis, A. Tamii

Abstract: The electric dipole strength distribution in $^{40}$Ca between 5 and 25 MeV has been determined at RCNP, Osaka, from proton inelastic scattering experiments at very forward angles. Combined with total photoabsorption data at higher excitation energy, this enables an extraction of the electric dipole polarizability $α_\mathrm{D}$($^{40}$Ca) = 1.92(17) fm$^3$. Together with the measured $α_{\rm D}$… ▽ More The electric dipole strength distribution in $^{40}$Ca between 5 and 25 MeV has been determined at RCNP, Osaka, from proton inelastic scattering experiments at very forward angles. Combined with total photoabsorption data at higher excitation energy, this enables an extraction of the electric dipole polarizability $α_\mathrm{D}$($^{40}$Ca) = 1.92(17) fm$^3$. Together with the measured $α_{\rm D}$ in $^{48}$Ca, it provides a stringent test of modern theoretical approaches, including coupled cluster calculations with chiral effective field theory interactions and state-of-the art energy density functionals. The emerging picture is that for this medium-mass region dipole polarizabilities are well described theoretically, with important constraints for the neutron skin in $^{48}$Ca and related equation of state quantities. △ Less

Submitted 18 April, 2023; v1 submitted 15 February, 2023; originally announced February 2023.

Comments: 6 pages, 3 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Res. 5, L022044 (2023)

Opportunities for Fundamental Physics Research with Radioactive Molecules

Authors: Gordon Arrowsmith-Kron, Michail Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis, Mia Au, Jochen Ballof, Robert Berger, Anastasia Borschevsky, Alexander A. Breier, Fritz Buchinger, Dmitry Budker, Luke Caldwell, Christopher Charles, Nike Dattani, Ruben P. de Groote, David DeMille, Timo Dickel, Jacek Dobaczewski, Christoph E. Düllmann, Ephraim Eliav, Jon Engel, Mingyu Fan, Victor Flambaum, Kieran T. Flanagan, Alyssa Gaiser, Ronald Garcia Ruiz, Konstantin Gaul , et al. (37 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Molecules containing short-lived, radioactive nuclei are uniquely positioned to enable a wide range of scientific discoveries in the areas of fundamental symmetries, astrophysics, nuclear structure, and chemistry. Recent advances in the ability to create, cool, and control complex molecules down to the quantum level, along with recent and upcoming advances in radioactive species production at seve… ▽ More Molecules containing short-lived, radioactive nuclei are uniquely positioned to enable a wide range of scientific discoveries in the areas of fundamental symmetries, astrophysics, nuclear structure, and chemistry. Recent advances in the ability to create, cool, and control complex molecules down to the quantum level, along with recent and upcoming advances in radioactive species production at several facilities around the world, create a compelling opportunity to coordinate and combine these efforts to bring precision measurement and control to molecules containing extreme nuclei. In this manuscript, we review the scientific case for studying radioactive molecules, discuss recent atomic, molecular, nuclear, astrophysical, and chemical advances which provide the foundation for their study, describe the facilities where these species are and will be produced, and provide an outlook for the future of this nascent field. △ Less

Submitted 4 February, 2023; originally announced February 2023.

Journal ref: Rep. Prog. Phys. 87 084301 (2024)

Dense Nuclear Matter Equation of State from Heavy-Ion Collisions

Authors: Agnieszka Sorensen, Kshitij Agarwal, Kyle W. Brown, Zbigniew Chajęcki, Paweł Danielewicz, Christian Drischler, Stefano Gandolfi, Jeremy W. Holt, Matthias Kaminski, Che-Ming Ko, Rohit Kumar, Bao-An Li, William G. Lynch, Alan B. McIntosh, William G. Newton, Scott Pratt, Oleh Savchuk, Maria Stefaniak, Ingo Tews, ManYee Betty Tsang, Ramona Vogt, Hermann Wolter, Hanna Zbroszczyk, Navid Abbasi, Jörg Aichelin , et al. (111 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The nuclear equation of state (EOS) is at the center of numerous theoretical and experimental efforts in nuclear physics. With advances in microscopic theories for nuclear interactions, the availability of experiments probing nuclear matter under conditions not reached before, endeavors to develop sophisticated and reliable transport simulations to interpret these experiments, and the advent of mu… ▽ More The nuclear equation of state (EOS) is at the center of numerous theoretical and experimental efforts in nuclear physics. With advances in microscopic theories for nuclear interactions, the availability of experiments probing nuclear matter under conditions not reached before, endeavors to develop sophisticated and reliable transport simulations to interpret these experiments, and the advent of multi-messenger astronomy, the next decade will bring new opportunities for determining the nuclear matter EOS, elucidating its dependence on density, temperature, and isospin asymmetry. Among controlled terrestrial experiments, collisions of heavy nuclei at intermediate beam energies (from a few tens of MeV/nucleon to about 25 GeV/nucleon in the fixed-target frame) probe the widest ranges of baryon density and temperature, enabling studies of nuclear matter from a few tenths to about 5 times the nuclear saturation density and for temperatures from a few to well above a hundred MeV, respectively. Collisions of neutron-rich isotopes further bring the opportunity to probe effects due to the isospin asymmetry. However, capitalizing on the enormous scientific effort aimed at uncovering the dense nuclear matter EOS, both at RHIC and at FRIB as well as at other international facilities, depends on the continued development of state-of-the-art hadronic transport simulations. This white paper highlights the essential role that heavy-ion collision experiments and hadronic transport simulations play in understanding strong interactions in dense nuclear matter, with an emphasis on how these efforts can be used together with microscopic approaches and neutron star studies to uncover the nuclear EOS. △ Less

Submitted 25 January, 2024; v1 submitted 30 January, 2023; originally announced January 2023.

Comments: White paper prepared for the 2023 Long Range Plan. v3: Updated version as published in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics. Note: the published version does not include the executive summary; in the updated arXiv version, the executive summary is included as an appendix. v4: Corrected list of authors

Report number: INT-PUB-23-001, LA-UR-23-20514, LLNL-TR-844629

Journal ref: Prog.Part.Nucl.Phys. 134 (2024) 104080

Probing the Non-exponential Decay Regime in Open Quantum Systems

Authors: S. M. Wang, W. Nazarewicz, A. Volya, Y. G. Ma

Abstract: The most important law of radioactivity is that of the exponential decay. In the realm of quantum mechanics, however, this decay law is neither rigorous nor fundamental. The deviations from the exponential decay have been observed experimentally at the early stage of a decay process, but there is little evidence for non-exponential behavior at long times. Yet such long-term non-exponentiality is e… ▽ More The most important law of radioactivity is that of the exponential decay. In the realm of quantum mechanics, however, this decay law is neither rigorous nor fundamental. The deviations from the exponential decay have been observed experimentally at the early stage of a decay process, but there is little evidence for non-exponential behavior at long times. Yet such long-term non-exponentiality is expected theoretically to probe the non-resonant background components of the initial wave function which preserve the structural interference and the memory of how the state was created. In this paper, we propose new observables that can be used for experimental investigations of the post-exponential decay regime, including the decay of threshold resonances, particle correlations in three-body decays, and interference between near-lying resonances. While the specific examples presented in this work pertain to atomic nuclei, the properties of non-exponential decay are generic, i.e., they apply to other many-body open quantum systems, such as hadrons, atoms, molecules, and nanostructures. △ Less

Submitted 23 June, 2023; v1 submitted 21 November, 2022; originally announced November 2022.

Comments: 10 pages, 7 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Res. 5, 023183 (2023)

Near-threshold resonances in 11C and the 10B(p,α)7Be aneutronic reaction cross section

Authors: J. Okołowicz, M. Płoszajczak, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: The nucleus 11C plays an important role in the boron-proton fusion reactor environment as a catalyzer of the 10B(p,α)7Be reaction which, by producing a long-lived isotope of 7Be, poisons the aneutronic fusion process 11B(p,2α)4He. The low-energy cross section of 10B(p,α)7Be depends on the near-threshold states 7/2+1 , 5/2+2 , 5/2+3 in 11C whose properties are primarily known from the indirect meas… ▽ More The nucleus 11C plays an important role in the boron-proton fusion reactor environment as a catalyzer of the 10B(p,α)7Be reaction which, by producing a long-lived isotope of 7Be, poisons the aneutronic fusion process 11B(p,2α)4He. The low-energy cross section of 10B(p,α)7Be depends on the near-threshold states 7/2+1 , 5/2+2 , 5/2+3 in 11C whose properties are primarily known from the indirect measurements. We investigate the continuum-coupling induced collectivization of these resonances in the shell model embedded in the continuum. We predict a significant enhancement of the 10B(p,α)7Be cross section at energies accessible to the laser-driven hot plasma facilities. △ Less

Submitted 4 November, 2022; originally announced November 2022.

Comments: 4 pages, 2 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. C 107, L021305, 2023

Charge radii of $^{55,56}$Ni reveal a surprisingly similar behavior at $N=28$ in Ca and Ni isotopes

Authors: F. Sommer, K. König, D. M. Rossi, N. Everett, D. Garand, R. P. de Groote, J. D. Holt, P. Imgram, A. Incorvati, C. Kalman, A. Klose, J. Lantis, Y. Liu, A. J. Miller, K. Minamisono, T. Miyagi, W. Nazarewicz, W. Nörtershäuser, S. V. Pineda, R. Powel, P. -G. Reinhard, L. Renth, E. Romero-Romero, R. Roth, A. Schwenk , et al. (2 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Nuclear charge radii of $^{55,56}$Ni were measured by collinear laser spectroscopy. The obtained information completes the behavior of the charge radii at the shell closure of the doubly magic nucleus $^{56}$Ni. The trend of charge radii across the shell closures in calcium and nickel is surprisingly similar despite the fact that the $^{56}$Ni core is supposed to be much softer than the $^{48}$Ca… ▽ More Nuclear charge radii of $^{55,56}$Ni were measured by collinear laser spectroscopy. The obtained information completes the behavior of the charge radii at the shell closure of the doubly magic nucleus $^{56}$Ni. The trend of charge radii across the shell closures in calcium and nickel is surprisingly similar despite the fact that the $^{56}$Ni core is supposed to be much softer than the $^{48}$Ca core. The very low magnetic moment $μ(^{55}\mathrm{Ni})=-1.108(20)\,μ_N$ indicates the impact of M1 excitations between spin-orbit partners across the $N,Z=28$ shell gaps. Our charge-radii results are compared to \textit{ab initio} and nuclear density functional theory calculations, showing good agreement within theoretical uncertainties. △ Less

Submitted 4 October, 2022; originally announced October 2022.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 132501 (2022)

Towards Precise and Accurate Calculations of Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay: Project Scoping Workshop Report

Authors: V. Cirigliano, Z. Davoudi, J. Engel, R. J. Furnstahl, G. Hagen, U. Heinz, H. Hergert, M. Horoi, C. W. Johnson, A. Lovato, E. Mereghetti, W. Nazarewicz, A. Nicholson, T. Papenbrock, S. Pastore, M. Plumlee, D. R. Phillips, P. E. Shanahan, S. R. Stroberg, F. Viens, A. Walker-Loud, K. A. Wendt, S. M. Wild

Abstract: We present the results of a National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Scoping Workshop, the purpose of which was to assess the current status of calculations for the nuclear matrix elements governing neutrinoless double-beta decay and determine if more work on them is required. After reviewing important recent progress in the application of effective field theory, lattice quantum chromodynamics, a… ▽ More We present the results of a National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Scoping Workshop, the purpose of which was to assess the current status of calculations for the nuclear matrix elements governing neutrinoless double-beta decay and determine if more work on them is required. After reviewing important recent progress in the application of effective field theory, lattice quantum chromodynamics, and ab initio nuclear-structure theory to double-beta decay, we discuss the state of the art in nuclear-physics uncertainty quantification and then construct a road map for work in all these areas to fully complement the increasingly sensitive experiments in operation and under development. The road map contains specific projects in theoretical and computational physics as well as an uncertainty-quantification plan that employs Bayesian Model Mixing and an analysis of correlations between double-beta-decay rates and other observables. The goal of this program is a set of accurate and precise matrix elements, in all nuclei of interest to experimentalists, delivered together with carefully assessed uncertainties. Such calculations will allow crisp conclusions from the observation or non-observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay, no matter what new physics is at play. △ Less

Submitted 3 July, 2022; originally announced July 2022.

Comments: This Project Scoping Workshop report is focused on the US context for the theory of neutrinloess double beta decay. Its authors plan to produce a journal article that addresses similar issues, but is more inclusive as regards non-US efforts on this problem. We would be happy to receive further input that will help us refine our text before it is submitted to the journal

Report number: INT-PUB-22-018

Journal ref: J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 49, 120502 (2022)

Combined theoretical analysis of the parity-violating asymmetry for ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}Pb$

Authors: Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Xavier Roca-Maza, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: The recent experimental determination of the parity violating asymmetry $A_{\rm pv}$ in ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}$Pb at Jefferson Lab is important for our understanding on how neutrons and protons arrange themselves inside the atomic nucleus. To better understand the impact of these measurements, we present a rigorous theoretical investigation of $A_{\rm pv}$ in ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}$Pb and as… ▽ More The recent experimental determination of the parity violating asymmetry $A_{\rm pv}$ in ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}$Pb at Jefferson Lab is important for our understanding on how neutrons and protons arrange themselves inside the atomic nucleus. To better understand the impact of these measurements, we present a rigorous theoretical investigation of $A_{\rm pv}$ in ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}$Pb and assess the associated uncertainties. We complement our study by inspecting the static electric dipole polarizability in these nuclei. The analysis is carried out within nuclear energy density functional theory with quantified input. We conclude that the simultaneous accurate description of $A_{\rm pv}$ in ${}^{48}$Ca and ${}^{208}$Pb cannot be achieved by our models that accommodate a pool of global nuclear properties, such as masses and charge radii, throughout the nuclear chart, and describe -- within one standard deviation -- the experimental dipole polarizabilities $α_{\rm D}$ in these nuclei. △ Less

Submitted 2 January, 2023; v1 submitted 7 June, 2022; originally announced June 2022.

Comments: Published version including supplemental Material in the submission source files

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 232501 (2022)

Statistical correlations of nuclear quadrupole deformations and charge radii

Authors: Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Witek Nazarewicz

Abstract: Shape deformations and charge radii, basic properties of atomic nuclei, are influenced by both the global features of the nuclear force and the nucleonic shell structure. As functions of proton and neutron number, both quantities show regular patterns and, for nuclei away from magic numbers, they change very smoothly from nucleus to nucleus. In this paper, we explain how the local shell effects ar… ▽ More Shape deformations and charge radii, basic properties of atomic nuclei, are influenced by both the global features of the nuclear force and the nucleonic shell structure. As functions of proton and neutron number, both quantities show regular patterns and, for nuclei away from magic numbers, they change very smoothly from nucleus to nucleus. In this paper, we explain how the local shell effects are impacting the statistical correlations between quadrupole deformations and charge radii in well-deformed even-even Er, Yb, and Hf isotopes. This implies, in turn, that sudden changes in correlations can be useful indicators of underlying shell effects. Our theoretical analysis is performed in the framework of self-consistent mean-field theory using quantified energy density functionals and density-dependent pairing forces. The statistical analysis is carried out by means of the linear least-square regression. The local variations of nuclear quadrupole deformations and charge radii, explained in terms of occupations individual deformed Hartree-Fock orbits, make and imprint on statistical correlations of computed observables. While the calculated deformations or charge radii are, in some cases, correlated with those of their even-even neighbors, the correlations seem to deteriorate rapidly with particle number. The statistical correlations between nuclear deformations and charge radii of different nuclei are affected by the underlying shell structure. Even for well deformed and superfluid nuclei for which these observables change smoothly, the correlation range usually does not exceed $ΔN=4$ and $ΔZ=4$, i.e., it is rather short. This result suggests that the frequently made assumption of reduced statistical errors for the differences between smoothly-varying observables cannot be generally justified. △ Less

Submitted 12 May, 2022; originally announced May 2022.

Comments: 7 pages, 6 figures

Nudged elastic band approach to nuclear fission pathways

Authors: Eric Flynn, Daniel Lay, Sylvester Agbemava, Pablo Giuliani, Kyle Godbey, Witold Nazarewicz, Jhilam Sadhukhan

Abstract: The nuclear fission process is a dramatic example of the large-amplitude collective motion in which the nucleus undergoes a series of shape changes before splitting into distinct fragments. This motion can be represented by a pathway in the many-dimensional space of collective coordinates. The collective action along the fission pathway determines the spontaneous fission half-lives as well as mass… ▽ More The nuclear fission process is a dramatic example of the large-amplitude collective motion in which the nucleus undergoes a series of shape changes before splitting into distinct fragments. This motion can be represented by a pathway in the many-dimensional space of collective coordinates. The collective action along the fission pathway determines the spontaneous fission half-lives as well as mass and charge distributions of fission fragments. We study the performance and precision of various methods to determine the minimum action and minimum-energy fission trajectories in the collective space. We apply the nudged elastic band method (NEB), grid-based methods, and Euler Lagrange approach to the collective action minimization in two and three dimensional collective spaces. The performance of various approaches to the fission pathway problem is assessed by studying the collective motion along both analytic energy surfaces and realistic potential energy surfaces obtained with the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory. The uniqueness and stability of the solutions is studied. The NEB method is capable of efficient determination of the exit points on the outer turning surface that characterize the most probable fission pathway and constitute the key input for fission studies. This method can also be used to accurately compute the critical points (i.e., local minima and saddle points) on the potential energy surface of the fissioning nucleus that determine the static fission path. The NEB method is the tool of choice for finding the least-action and minimum energy fission trajectories. It will be particularly useful in large-scale fission calculation of superheavy nuclei and neutron-rich fissioning nuclei contributing to the astrophysical r-process recycling. △ Less

Submitted 3 March, 2022; originally announced March 2022.

Comments: 12 Pages, 9 Figures

Theoretical description of fission yields: towards a fast and efficient global model

Authors: Jhilam Sadhukhan, Samuel A. Giuliani, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: Background: A quantitative microscopic understanding of the fission-fragment yield distributions represents a major challenge for nuclear theory as it involves the intricate competition between large-amplitude nuclear collective motion and single-particle nucleonic motion. Purpose: A recently proposed approach to global modeling of fission fragment distributions is extended to account for odd-ev… ▽ More Background: A quantitative microscopic understanding of the fission-fragment yield distributions represents a major challenge for nuclear theory as it involves the intricate competition between large-amplitude nuclear collective motion and single-particle nucleonic motion. Purpose: A recently proposed approach to global modeling of fission fragment distributions is extended to account for odd-even staggering in charge yields and for neutron evaporation. Method: Fission trajectories are obtained within the density functional theory framework, allowing for a microscopic determination of the most probable fission prefragment configurations. Mass and charge yields distributions are constructed by means of a statistical approach rooted in a microcanonical ensemble. Result: We show that the proposed hybrid model can reproduce experimental mass and charge fragment yields, including the odd-even staggering, for a wide range of fissioning nuclei. Experimental isotopic yields can be described within a simple neutron evaporation scheme. We also explore fission fragment distributions of exotic neutron-rich and superheavy systems, and compare our predictions with other state-of-the art global calculations. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the microscopic rearrangement of nucleons into fission fragments occurs well before the scission, and that the subsequent dynamics is mainly driven by the thermal excitations and bulk features of the nuclear binding. The proposed simple hybrid approach is well suited for large-scale calculations involving hundreds of fissioning nuclei. △ Less

Submitted 13 January, 2022; originally announced January 2022.

Comments: 11 pages, 13 figures

Evidence of Two-Source King Plot Nonlinearity in Spectroscopic Search for New Boson

Authors: Joonseok Hur, Diana P. L. Aude Craik, Ian Counts, Eugene Knyazev, Luke Caldwell, Calvin Leung, Swadha Pandey, Julian C. Berengut, Amy Geddes, Witold Nazarewicz, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Akio Kawasaki, Honggi Jeon, Wonho Jhe, Vladan Vuletić

Abstract: Optical precision spectroscopy of isotope shifts can be used to test for new forces beyond the Standard Model, and to determine basic properties of atomic nuclei. We measure isotope shifts on the highly forbidden ${}^2S_{1/2} \rightarrow {}^2F_{7/2}$ octupole transition of trapped $^{168,170,172,174,176}$Yb ions. When combined with previous measurements in Yb$^+$ and very recent measurements in Yb… ▽ More Optical precision spectroscopy of isotope shifts can be used to test for new forces beyond the Standard Model, and to determine basic properties of atomic nuclei. We measure isotope shifts on the highly forbidden ${}^2S_{1/2} \rightarrow {}^2F_{7/2}$ octupole transition of trapped $^{168,170,172,174,176}$Yb ions. When combined with previous measurements in Yb$^+$ and very recent measurements in Yb, the data reveal a King plot nonlinearity of up to 240$σ$. The trends exhibited by experimental data are explained by nuclear density functional theory calculations with the Fayans functional. We also find, with 4.3$σ$ confidence, that there is a second distinct source of nonlinearity, and discuss its possible origin. △ Less

Submitted 19 February, 2022; v1 submitted 10 January, 2022; originally announced January 2022.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 163201 (2022)

Information content of the differences in the charge radii of mirror nuclei

Authors: Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: Differences in the charge radii of mirror nuclei have been recently suggested to contain information on the slope of the symmetry energy L. To test this hypothesis, we perform statistical correlation analysis using quantified energy density functionals that are consistent with our previous knowledge on global nuclear observables such as binding energies and charge radii. We conclude that the diffe… ▽ More Differences in the charge radii of mirror nuclei have been recently suggested to contain information on the slope of the symmetry energy L. To test this hypothesis, we perform statistical correlation analysis using quantified energy density functionals that are consistent with our previous knowledge on global nuclear observables such as binding energies and charge radii. We conclude that the difference in charge radii between a mirror pair, R_mir, is an inferior isovector indicator compared to other observables, such at the neutron skin or electric dipole polarizability. In particular, this quantity correlates poorly with both the neutron skin and L. We demonstrate that R_mir is influenced by pairing correlations in the presence of low-lying proton continuum in the proton-rich mirror-partner nucleus. Considering the large theoretical uncertainties on R_mir, we conclude that the precise data on mirror charge radii cannot provide a stringent constraint on L. △ Less

Submitted 6 January, 2022; originally announced January 2022.

Comments: 6 pages, 4 figures

$β^-{\rm p}$ and $β^-α$ decay of the $^{11}$Be neutron halo ground state

Authors: J. Okołowicz, M. Płoszajczak, W. Nazarewicz

Abstract: Beta-delayed proton emission from the neutron halo ground state of $^{11}$Be raised much attention due to the unusually high decay rate. It was argued that this may be due to the existence of a resonance just above the proton decay threshold. In this Letter, we use the lenses of real-energy continuum shell model to describe several observables including the Gamow-Teller rates for the $β^-$-delayed… ▽ More Beta-delayed proton emission from the neutron halo ground state of $^{11}$Be raised much attention due to the unusually high decay rate. It was argued that this may be due to the existence of a resonance just above the proton decay threshold. In this Letter, we use the lenses of real-energy continuum shell model to describe several observables including the Gamow-Teller rates for the $β^-$-delayed $α$ and proton decays, and argue that, within our model, the large $β^-{\rm p}$ branching ratio cannot be reconciled with other data. △ Less

Submitted 4 July, 2022; v1 submitted 10 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Comments: 5 pages, 3 figures

Nuclear Charge Radii of the Nickel Isotopes $^{58-68,70}$Ni

Authors: S. Malbrunot-Ettenauer, S. Kaufmann, S. Bacca, C. Barbieri, J. Billowes, M. L. Bissell, K. Blaum, B. Cheal, T. Duguet, R. F. Garcia Ruiz, W. Gins, C. Gorges, G. Hagen, H. Heylen, J. D. Holt, G. R. Jansen, A. Kanellakopoulos, M. Kortelainen, T. Miyagi, P. Navrátil, W. Nazarewicz, R. Neugart, G. Neyens, W. Nörtershäuser, S. J. Novario , et al. (16 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Collinear laser spectroscopy is performed on the nickel isotopes $^{58-68,70}$Ni, using a time-resolved photon counting system. From the measured isotope shifts, nuclear charge radii $R_c$ are extracted and compared to theoretical results. Three ab initio approaches all employ, among others, the chiral interaction NNLO$_{\rm sat}$, which allows an assessment of their accuracy. We find agreement wi… ▽ More Collinear laser spectroscopy is performed on the nickel isotopes $^{58-68,70}$Ni, using a time-resolved photon counting system. From the measured isotope shifts, nuclear charge radii $R_c$ are extracted and compared to theoretical results. Three ab initio approaches all employ, among others, the chiral interaction NNLO$_{\rm sat}$, which allows an assessment of their accuracy. We find agreement with experiment in differential radii $δ\left\langle r_\mathrm{c}^2 \right\rangle$ for all employed ab initio methods and interactions, while the absolute radii are consistent with data only for NNLO$_{\rm sat}$. Within nuclear density functional theory, the Skyrme functional SV-min matches experiment more closely than the Fayans functional Fy($Δr$,HFB). △ Less

Submitted 6 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 022502 (2021)

Machine Learning in Nuclear Physics

Authors: Amber Boehnlein, Markus Diefenthaler, Cristiano Fanelli, Morten Hjorth-Jensen, Tanja Horn, Michelle P. Kuchera, Dean Lee, Witold Nazarewicz, Kostas Orginos, Peter Ostroumov, Long-Gang Pang, Alan Poon, Nobuo Sato, Malachi Schram, Alexander Scheinker, Michael S. Smith, Xin-Nian Wang, Veronique Ziegler

Abstract: Advances in machine learning methods provide tools that have broad applicability in scientific research. These techniques are being applied across the diversity of nuclear physics research topics, leading to advances that will facilitate scientific discoveries and societal applications. This Review gives a snapshot of nuclear physics research which has been transformed by machine learning techni… ▽ More Advances in machine learning methods provide tools that have broad applicability in scientific research. These techniques are being applied across the diversity of nuclear physics research topics, leading to advances that will facilitate scientific discoveries and societal applications. This Review gives a snapshot of nuclear physics research which has been transformed by machine learning techniques. △ Less

Submitted 2 May, 2022; v1 submitted 4 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Comments: Comments are welcome

Universal trend of charge radii of even-even Ca-Zn nuclei

Authors: Markus Kortelainen, Zhonghao Sun, Gaute Hagen, Witold Nazarewicz, Thomas Papenbrock, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard

Abstract: Radii of nuclear charge distributions carry information about the strong and electromagnetic forces acting inside the atomic nucleus. While the global behavior of nuclear charge radii is governed by the bulk properties of nuclear matter, their local trends are affected by quantum motion of proton and neutron nuclear constituents. The measured differential charge radii $δ\langle r^2_c\rangle$ betwe… ▽ More Radii of nuclear charge distributions carry information about the strong and electromagnetic forces acting inside the atomic nucleus. While the global behavior of nuclear charge radii is governed by the bulk properties of nuclear matter, their local trends are affected by quantum motion of proton and neutron nuclear constituents. The measured differential charge radii $δ\langle r^2_c\rangle$ between neutron numbers $N=28$ and $N=40$ exhibit a universal pattern as a function of $n=N-28$ that is independent of the atomic number. Here we analyze this remarkable behavior in even-even nuclei from calcium to zinc using two state-of-the-art theories based on quantified nuclear interactions: the ab-initio coupled cluster theory and nuclear density functional theory. Both theories reproduce the smooth rise of differential charge radii and their weak dependence on the atomic number. By considering a large set of isotopic chains, we show that this trend can be captured by just two parameters: the slope and curvature of ${δ\langle r^2_c\rangle(n)}$. We demonstrate that these parameters show appreciable model dependence, and the statistical analysis indicates that they are not correlated with any single model property, i.e., they are impacted by both bulk nuclear properties as well as shell structure. △ Less

Submitted 24 November, 2021; originally announced November 2021.

Comments: 7 pages, 6 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. C 105, L021303 (2022)

Three-dimensional Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov solver in coordinate-space representation

Authors: Mengzhi Chen, Tong Li, Bastian Schuetrumpf, Paul-Gerhard Reinhard, Witold Nazarewicz

Abstract: The coordinate-space representation of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory is the method of choice to study weakly bound nuclei whose properties are affected by the quasiparticle continuum space. To describe such systems, we developed a three-dimensional Skyrme-Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov solver HFBFFT based on the existing, highly optimized and parallelized Skyrme-Hartree-Fock code Sky3D. The code doe… ▽ More The coordinate-space representation of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory is the method of choice to study weakly bound nuclei whose properties are affected by the quasiparticle continuum space. To describe such systems, we developed a three-dimensional Skyrme-Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov solver HFBFFT based on the existing, highly optimized and parallelized Skyrme-Hartree-Fock code Sky3D. The code does not impose any self-consistent spatial symmetries such as mirror inversions or parity. The underlying equations are solved in HFBFFT directly in the canonical basis using the fast Fourier transform. To remedy the problems with pairing collapse, we implemented the soft energy cutoff and pairing annealing. The convergence of HFB solutions was improved by a sub-iteration method. The Hermiticity violation of differential operators brought by Fourier-transform-based differentiation has also been solved. The accuracy and performance of HFBFFT were tested by benchmarking it against other HFB codes, both spherical and deformed, for a set of nuclei, both well-bound and weakly-bound. △ Less

Submitted 25 March, 2022; v1 submitted 3 November, 2021; originally announced November 2021.

Comments: 14pages, 1 figure

Journal ref: Comput. Phys. Commun., 276:108344, 2022

Lightweight self-conjugate nucleus $^{80}$Zr

Authors: A. Hamaker, E. Leistenschneider, R. Jain, G. Bollen, S. A. Giuliani, K. Lund, W. Nazarewicz, L. Neufcourt, C. Nicoloff, D. Puentes, R. Ringle, C. S. Sumithrarachchi, I. T. Yandow

Abstract: Protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus move in shells analogous to the electronic shell structures of atoms. Nuclear shell structure varies across the nuclear landscape due to changes of the nuclear mean field with the number of neutrons $N$ and protons $Z$. These variations can be probed with mass differences. The $N=Z=40$ self-conjugate nucleus $^{80}$Zr is of particular interest as its prot… ▽ More Protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus move in shells analogous to the electronic shell structures of atoms. Nuclear shell structure varies across the nuclear landscape due to changes of the nuclear mean field with the number of neutrons $N$ and protons $Z$. These variations can be probed with mass differences. The $N=Z=40$ self-conjugate nucleus $^{80}$Zr is of particular interest as its proton and neutron shell structures are expected to be very similar, and its ground state is highly deformed. In this work, we provide evidence for the existence of a deformed double shell closure in $^{80}$Zr through high precision Penning trap mass measurements of $^{80-83}$Zr. Our new mass values show that $^{80}$Zr is significantly lighter, and thus more bound than previously determined. This can be attributed to the deformed shell closure at $N=Z=40$ and the large Wigner energy. Our statistical Bayesian model mixing analysis employing several global nuclear mass models demonstrates difficulties with reproducing the observed mass anomaly using current theory. △ Less

Submitted 30 August, 2021; originally announced August 2021.

Comments: 11 pages; 5 figures; submitted version, revised version accepted in Nature Physics pending minor revisions

Nucleon-nucleon correlations in the extreme oxygen isotopes

Authors: S. M. Wang, W. Nazarewicz, R. J. Charity, L. G. Sobotka

Abstract: There has been an upsurge of interest in two-nucleon decays thanks to the studies of nucleon-nucleon correlations. In our previous work, based on a novel time-dependent three-body approach, we demonstrated that the energy and angular correlations of the emitted nucleons can shed light on the structure of nucleonic pairs formed inside the nucleus. In this work, we apply the new framework to study t… ▽ More There has been an upsurge of interest in two-nucleon decays thanks to the studies of nucleon-nucleon correlations. In our previous work, based on a novel time-dependent three-body approach, we demonstrated that the energy and angular correlations of the emitted nucleons can shed light on the structure of nucleonic pairs formed inside the nucleus. In this work, we apply the new framework to study the decay dynamics and properties of some extreme proton-rich and neutron-rich oxygen isotopes, including two-proton ($2p$) decays of $^{11,12}$O and two-neutron ($2n$) decay of $^{26}$O. Here we show that the low-$\ell$ components of $^{11,12}$O wave functions, which are affected by continuum and configuration-interaction effects, strongly impact decay dynamics and asymptotic correlations. In the calculated wave functions of $^{11,12}$O, diproton and cigarlike structures merge together during the tunneling process and the resulting energy- and angular correlations are very consistent with the experimental data. The asymptotic correlations of the $2n$ decay of $^{26}$O dramatically change as the two-neutron decay energy approaches the zero-energy threshold. The small reported value of $Q_{2n}$ suggests that the $2n$ decay of this nucleus can be understood in terms of the universal phase-space limit. △ Less

Submitted 18 August, 2021; originally announced August 2021.

Comments: 7 pages, 4 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2104.03195