Gamow-Teller strength and nuclear deformation

Motivation :
Spin-isospin nuclear properties.
Exotic nuclei : Beta-decay + Charge Exchange Reactions
Limits of applicability of well established microscopic models

Theoretical approach :
Deformed HF+BCS+QRPA formalism with Skyrme forces and
residual interactions in both ph and pp channels

Results :
Nuclear structure: GT strength distributions (Fe, Kr, Pb, Xe isotopes)
Nuclear astrophysics: Half-lives of waiting point nuclei in rp-processes
Particle Physics: Two-neutrino double beta-decay

-decay
: ( Z , A ) ( Z + 1, A ) + e + e

( Z , A)

+ : ( Z , A ) ( Z 1, A ) + e + + e
EC : ( Z , A ) + e ( Z 1, A ) + e

Q = M parent M daughter me

(= T + E )
e

( Z + 1, A )

Decay rate: Fermis golden rule

2 dN
ln 2 2
F
=
=
V
f
i

t =
dW0

Fermi integral

Density of final states

Matrix elements of the transition

W0
dN F
2
= C pW (W0 W ) ( Z ,W ) dW f ( Z ,W0 )
1
dW0

(Z,W): Fermi function: Influence of nuclear Coulomb field on electrons

-decay
Matrix elements of the transition

V fi = g f e i dV  g f i dV = M fi
*

Allowed approximation
Selection rules

e ,

G
JG G
1 i JpGrG / =
r =
e
= 1+ i p r / = +"  1
V

()

Nuclear Structure models

Gamow-Teller strength: different approaches

Spherical potentials

Deformed potentials
Anisotropic harmonic oscillator

Axially symmetric shapes

Nilsson model

Hartree-Fock method
How to extract a single-particle potential U(k)
out of the sum of two-body interactions W(k,l)

Variational principle

Effective interactions
Skyrme interactions: zero range, density-dependent
originally

3-body contact term equivalent to

2-body density-dependent

Skyrme Hartree-Fock
Schroedinger equation

Algebraic combinations of the densities

Deformed Hartree-Fock
Single particle states (axially symmetric even-even nuclei)
Expansion into eigenfunctions of deformed harmonic oscillator

Optimal basis to minimize truncation effects

N= 12 major shells

Pairing correlations in BCS approximations

Pairing interaction G
BCS ground state
Expectation value of
particle number

BCS eqs.

Number eq.

Fixed gaps taken from phenomenology

Gap eq.

Occupation probability vs. energy

Constrained HF+BCS

Energy vs. deformation

Theoretical approach: Residual interactions

Particle-hole residual interaction consistent with the HF mean field

Average over nuclear volume

Separable forces

RPA equations
Equation of motion

RPA: Phonon operator

Quasiboson approximation

RPA equations

Creates (X) and destroys (Y)

ph pairs: g.s.correlations

pnQRPA with separable forces

Phonon operator

Transition amplitudes

pnQRPA equations

B(GT) in the laboratory system

In terms of intrinsic matrix elements

Intrinsic matrix elements

GT operator

Intrinsic matrix elements

Half-lives

phase space

Neutrino energy

Coulomb effect

Exchange and overlap corrections

Radial components of the bound state electron wf at the origin

Limiting cases
B(GT) (2qp)

Vres =0

B(GT) (QTDA) Y =0

Ikeda sum rule

Type of GT transitions
Even-even nuclei 0+0J1+K
(0qpJ2qp)
Eex,2qp= Ep0En0

Odd-A nuclei IiKiJIf Kf

Phonon excitations : (1qpJ3qp)
Odd nucleon acts as a spectator
Eex,3qp=+En, spectEp0 > 2

Transitions involving the odd

nucleon state : (1qpJ1qp)

Eex,1qp=EpEp0

Qualitative behaviour of Matrix Elements

Skyrme HF + def

BCS

QRPA (ph,pp)
Redistribution and

2qp

reduction of the strength

ph
pp
Smooth occupations
New excitations

Fragmentation
Selfconsistent mean field with Skyrme forces
Suitable for extrapolations to unknown regions

2qp / TDA / RPA

GT strength in the lab frame

even-even nuclei

TDA : (Y J0); 2qp : (VresJ0)

Skyrme force

Role of deformation
pobl

nobl

psph

38

Allowed GT transitions
=0

nsph

pprol

nprol

36

74Kr

Z=36 N=38

Role of pairing

Existing peaks: decrease with increasing

(at low energy)

New peaks appear: increase with increasing

(at high energy)

Role of residual interactions

Redistribution of the strength

ph : shift to higher energies
pp : shift to lower energies
Reduction of the strength

Sum rules

Nuclear Structure
Stable nuclei in Fe-Ni mass region
Medium-mass proton-rich nuclei : Ge, Se, Kr, Sr

Main constituents of stellar

core in presupernovae
GT properties. Test of QRPA
Comparison with :

exp. (n,p), (p,n)

SM calculations

Neutron
deficient
Pb-Hg
Isotopes

Waiting points in rp process

Shape coexistence
Isotopic chains approaching drip lines
186Pb

Large Q values

Stable nuclei in Fe-Ni mass region: Theory and experiment

Main constituents of stellar core in presupernovae

Comparison with :

exp. (n,p), (p,n)

SM calculations

GT properties: Test of QRPA

SM : Caurier et al. NPA 653(99)439

Stable nuclei in Fe-Ni mass region. GT strength: Theory and experiment

Total B(GT+) strength
exp.

QRPA

HF+BCS

SM

51V

1.2 (0.1)

1.61

2.03

1.37

54Fe

3.5 (0.7)

4.24

5.14

3.50

55Mn

1.7 0(.2)

2.18

2.72

2.10

56Fe

2.9 (0.3)

3.24

4.16

2.63

58Ni

3.8 (0.4)

5.00

6.19

4.00

59Co

1.9 (0.1)

2.50

3.26

2.50

60Ni

3.11 (0.08)

3.72

4.97

3.29

62Ni

2.53 (0.07)

2.36

3.40

2.08

64Ni

1.72 (0.09)

1.65

2.65

1.19

Total B(GT) strength

Exp.

QRPA

SM

54Fe

7.8 (1.9)

7.0

6.9

56Fe

9.9 (2.4)

9.0

9.3

58Ni

7.5 (1.8)

7.8

7.7

60Ni

7.2 (1.8)

9.4

10.0

Medium mass proton rich nuclei: Ge, Se, Kr Sr

Constrained HF+BCS

Waiting point nuclei in rp-processes

Shape coexistence
Large Q-values
Isotopic chains approaching the drip lines
Beyond full Shell Model
Energy
Energy vs.
vs. deformation
deformation

Shape
Shape coexistence
coexistence

Medium mass proton rich nuclei: Ge, Se, Kr Sr

Constrained HF+BCS

Waiting point nuclei in rp-processes

Shape coexistence
Large Q-values
Isotopic chains approaching the drip lines
Beyond full Shell Model
Energy
Energy vs.
vs. deformation
deformation

Shape
Shape coexistence
coexistence

Medium mass proton rich nuclei: Ge, Se, Kr Sr

GT strength distributions

Dependence
Dependence on
on deformation
deformation

QEC and T1/2 : Theory and Experiment

decay: Nuclear Structure: Deformation

Gamow-Teller
Gamow-Teller strength:
strength:
Theory
Theory and
and Experiment
Experiment
oblate
oblate

prolate

prolate

76Sr

74Kr

oblate

prolate

Exp: Poirier et al. 2003

Exp: Ncher et al. 2004

Shape dependence of GTdistributions in neutron-deficient Hg, Pb, Po isotopes

...

Triple shape coexistence at low

(MeV)

excitation energy

Search for signatures of deformation on

their beta-decay patterns

6+
4+
2+

0+
0+

e- e-

0+

0
186Pb

Energy-deformation curves : Pb isotopes

Skyrme force and pairing treatment

Influence: Relative energy of minima

Little influence : location of minima

GT strength distributions : Pb isotopes

B(GT) strength distributions

Not very sensitive to : Skyrme
force and pairing treatment
Sensitive to : Nuclear shape

Shape dependence of GTdistributions in neutron-deficient: Pb isotopes

Signatures of deformation

prolate
oblate
spherical
QEC

Shape dependence of GTdistributions in neutron-deficient Hg, Po isotopes

GT- strength distributions : Xe isotopes

136Xe:

moving target in collisions with a hydrogen gas

jet to explore the feasibility of EXL at FAIR-GSI

(p,n)

AXe

(3He,3H)
(d,2n)

ACs

GT+ strength distributions : Xe isotopes

sph

sph

prol

sph

prol

(n,p)

AXe

(3H,3He)
(d,2p)

AI

Exotic Nuclei : Nuclear Astrophysics

Beta-decay half-lives of waiting point nuclei in rp-processes
Quality of astrophysical models depends critically on the quality of input (nuclear)

rp-process:
Proton capture reaction rates orders of magnitude faster than the competing + -decays

Waiting point nuclei:

p-capture is inhibited: the reaction flow waits for a slow beta-decay to proceed
Ag (47)
Pd (46)
Rh (45)
Ru (44)

5
5758

Tc (43)
Mo (42)
Nb (41)
Zr (40)
Y (39)
Sr (38)
Rb (37)
Kr (36)
Br (35)
Se (34)
As (33)
45464748
Ge (32)
Ga (31)
424344
272829303132333435363738394041

56
5455
53
5152
4950

Schatz et al

Dependence
on deformation
Dependence of
of T
T1/2
1/2 on deformation

Dependence
on pp
Dependence of
of T
T1/2
1/2 on pp

Half-lives of waiting poinr nuclei

Good agreement with experiment:

Reliable extrapolations

M1 excitations in deformed nuclei

orbital
(e,e) (,)

spin
(p,p)

(p,p) Triumf 90s

(e,e) Darmstadt 1984
(,) Stuttgart 90s

Scissors mode
~ 2

ORBITAL M1 excitations in deformed nuclei: Theory and experiment

Orbital
Orbital M1
M1 excitations
excitations
Excitation
Excitation spectra
spectra and
and 22 dependence
dependence well
well reproduced
reproduced
in
in rare-earths
rare-earths and
and actinides
actinides

SPIN M1 excitations in deformed nuclei: Theory and experiment

Spin M1 strength
Tz=0 isospin counterparts of Tz=1
GT transitions

Spin
Spin M1
M1
total
total strength
strength and
and peak
peak structure
structure
Well
Well reproduced
reproduced

Double beta-decay: Test of the Standard Model

One of the most rare events in nature T ~ 1020 years

2 decay modes

(A,Z)  (A,Z+2)+2e-+2
(A,Z)  (A,Z+2)+2e-

2 : 2 successive decays through intermediate virtual states.

Observed in

48Ca 76Ge 82Se 96Zr 100Mo 116Cd 128Te 130Te 150Nd

(T ~ 1019-1021 years)

0 : Lepton number not conserved. Forbidden in the SM.

emitted is absorbed : Massive Majorana particle.

(T (76Ge) > 1025 years)

Double beta-decay: Deformation

Description of the nuclear structure involved in the process

Constrained HF calculations in double beta partners

GT strength in the single-beta branches of double beta partners

Double beta matrix elements

2 matrix elements vs. deformation

Suppression mechanism due to deformation

Double beta matrix elements vs. kpp

HF-QRPA

WS-QRPA

Conclusions
Theoretical approach based on a deformed Skyrme HF+BCS+QRPA
Used to describe spin-isospin nuclear properties (GT & M1) in
stable and exotic nuclei
Tested along the nuclear chart
Find
Good agreement with experiment
GT strength distributions (Fe-Ni, p-rich A=70, 2 emitters)
Half-lives (waiting point nuclei)
Spin M1 strength distributions (rare earths & actinides)
2 matrix elements
Dependence on nuclear shape (shape coexistence)
Signatures of deformation in GT strength distributions in
A=70 and neutron-deficient Pb isotopes
Suppresion mechanism in 2 matrix elements

Nuclear Structure models

Shell model

QRPA

Valence space

Simplicity

Eff. interaction

No core

Diagonalization

Highly excited
states

Not all many-body

correlations are
taken into account

pnQRPA with separable forces

Transition amplitudes

Secular equation

Determine
RPA energies

Odd-A nucleus