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J. C. Berengut

Publications and source records attributed to J. C. Berengut.

67 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

A proposed experimental method to determine $α$-sensitivity of splitting between ground and 7.6 eV isomeric states in Th-229

The 7.6 eV electromagnetic transition between the nearly degenerate ground state and first excited state in the Th-229 nucleus may be very sensitive to potential changes in the fine-structure constant, $α= e^2/\hbar c$. However, the sensitivity is not known, and nuclear calculations are currently unable to determine it. We propose measurements of the differences of atomic transition frequencies between thorium atoms (or ions) with the nucleus in the ground state and in the first excited (isomeric) state. This will enable extraction of the change in nuclear charge radius and electric quadrupole moment between the isomers, and hence the $α$-dependence of the isomeric transition frequency with reasonable accuracy.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2008

Isotope shift calculations in Ti II

We present an accurate ab initio method of calculating transition energies and isotope shifts in the 3d-transition metals. It extends previous work that combines the configuration-interaction calculation with many-body perturbation theory by including the effective three-body interaction and modification of the energy denominator. We show that these effects are of importance in Ti II. The need to develop methods that can accurately calculate isotope shifts in 3d-transition metals comes from studies of quasar absorption spectra that seek to measure possible variation of the fine-structure constant alpha over the lifetime of the Universe. Isotope shift can also be used to measure isotope abundances in gas clouds in the early Universe, which are needed in order to test models of chemical evolution.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2006

Electron-impact ionization of the metastable excited states of Li+

Electron-impact ionization cross sections for the 1s2s 1S and 1s2s 3S metastable states of Li+ are calculated using both perturbative distorted-wave and non-perturbative close-coupling methods. Term-resolved distorted-wave calculations are found to be approximately 15% above term-resolved R-matrix with pseudostates calculations. On the other hand, configuration-average time-dependent close-coupling calculations are found to be in excellent agreement with the configuration-average R-matrix with pseudostates calculations. The non-perturbative R-matrix and close-coupling calculations provide a benchmark for experimental studies of electron-impact ionization of metastable states along the He isoelectronic sequence.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2006

Laboratory spectroscopy and the search for space-time variation of the fine structure constant using QSO spectra

Theories unifying gravity with other interactions suggest spatial and temporal variation of fundamental ``constants'' in the Universe. A change in the fine structure constant, alpha, could be detected via shifts in the frequencies of atomic transitions in quasar absorption systems. Previous studies of three independent samples of data, containing 143 absorption systems spread from 2 to 10 billion years after big bang, hint that alpha was smaller 7 - 11 billion years ago. To continue this study we urgently need accurate laboratory measurements of atomic transition frequencies. In this paper, we present a current list of transitions of importance to the search for alpha variation. They are E1 transitions to the ground state in several different atoms and ions, with wavelengths ranging from around 900 - 6000 Angstroms, and require an accuracy of better than 10^(-4) Angstroms. We also discuss isotope shift measurements that are needed in order to resolve systematic effects in the study. Researchers who are interested in performing these measurements should contact the authors directly.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2005

Calculation of isotope shifts and relativistic shifts in CI, CII, CIII and CIV

We present an accurate ab initio method of calculating isotope shifts and relativistic shifts in atomic spectra. We test the method on neutral carbon and three carbon ions. The relativistic shift of carbon lines may allow them to be included in analyses of quasar absorption spectra that seek to measure possible variations in the fine structure constant, alpha, over the lifetime of the Universe. Carbon isotope shifts can be used to measure isotope abundances in gas clouds: isotope abundances are potentially an important source of systematic error in the alpha-variation studies. These abundances are also needed to study nuclear reactions in stars and supernovae, and test models of chemical evolution of the Universe.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2005

Improved calculation of relativistic shift and isotope shift in Mg I

We present an ab initio method of calculation of isotope shift and relativistic shift in atoms with a few valence electrons. It is based on an energy calculation involving combination of the configuration interaction method and many-body perturbation theory. This work is motivated by analyses of quasar absorption spectra that suggest that the fine structure constant, alpha, was smaller at an early epoch. Relativistic shifts are needed to measure this variation of alpha, while isotope shifts are needed to resolve systematic effects in this study. The isotope shifts can also be used to measure isotopic abundances in gas clouds in the early universe, which are needed to study nuclear reactions in stars and supernovae and test models of chemical evolution. This paper shows that isotope shift in magnesium can be calculated to very high precision using our new method.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2004

Space-time variation of the fine structure constant and evolution of isotope abundances

At present several groups are analyzing astrophysical data in a search for time-variation of the fine structure constant $α$. Here we discuss how to exclude systematic effects caused by the changes in the isotope abundances during the evolution of the universe. We suggest using particular combinations of the transition frequencies of O II, Al II, Al III, Si II and Mn II as anchors, which are insensitive to $α$-variation and to changes in isotope abundances. These anchors can be used to determine the cosmological redshift. Then, one can use other combinations of frequencies as probes for the time-variation of $α$ and another set as probes for the isotopic abundances. In this way it is possible to eliminate one source of the systematic errors in the search for $α$-variation and get new information about evolution of the isotopes. On the level of accuracy that has already been reached in the search for $α$-variation it is possible to see ~10% changes in isotope abundances of Si and Ni.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2004

The alpha-dependence of transition frequencies for some ions of Ti, Mn, Na, C, and O, and the search for variation of the fine structure constant

We use the relativistic Hartree-Fock method, many-body perturbation theory and configuration-interaction method to calculate the dependence of atomic transition frequencies on the fine structure constant, alpha. The results of these calculations will be used in the search for variation of the fine structure constant in quasar absorption spectra.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2003

Configuration interaction calculation for the isotope shift in Mg I

We present an ab initio method of calculation of isotope shift in atoms with a few valence electrons, based on the configuration-interaction calculation of energy. The main motivation for developing the method comes from the need to analyze whether differences in isotope abundance in early universe can contribute to the observed anomalies in quasar absorption spectra. The current best explanation for these anomalies is the assumption that the fine structure constant, alpha, was smaller at early epoch. We show that we can calculate the isotope shift in magnesium with good accuracy.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2003

Isotope shift calculations for atoms with one valence electron

This work presents a method for the ab initio calculation of isotope shift in atoms and ions with one valence electron above closed shells. As a zero approximation we use relativistic Hartree-Fock and then calculate correlation corrections. The main motivation for developing the method comes from the need to analyse whether different isotope abundances in early universe can contribute to the observed anomalies in quasar absorption spectra. The current best explanation for these anomalies is the assumption that the fine structure constant, alpha, was smaller at early epoch. We test the isotope shift method by comparing the calculated and experimental isotope shift for the alkali and alkali-like atoms Na, MgII, K, CaII and BaII. The agreement is found to be good. We then calculate the isotope shift for some astronomically relevant transitions in SiII and SiIV, MgII, ZnII and GeII.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2000

Atom made from charged elementary black hole

It is believed that there may have been a large number of black holes formed in the very early universe. These would have quantised masses. A charged ``elementary black hole'' (with the minimum possible mass) can capture electrons, protons and other charged particles to form a ``black hole atom''. We find the spectrum of such an object with a view to laboratory and astronomical observation of them, and estimate the lifetime of the bound states. There is no limit to the charge of the black hole, which gives us the possibility of observing Z>137 bound states and transitions at the lower continuum. Negatively charged black holes can capture protons. For Z>1, the orbiting protons will coalesce to form a nucleus (after beta-decay of some protons to neutrons), with a stability curve different to that of free nuclei. In this system there is also the distinct possibility of single quark capture. This leads to the formation of a coloured black hole that plays the role of an extremely heavy quark interacting strongly with the other two quarks. Finally we consider atoms formed with much larger black holes.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1999

Unusual statistics of interference effects in neutron scattering from compound nuclei

We consider interference effects between p-wave resonance scattering amplitude and background s-wave amplitude in low-energy neutron scattering from a heavy nucleus which goes through the compound nucleus stage. The first effect is in the difference between the forward and backward scattering cross sections. Because of the chaotic nature of the compound states, this effect is a random variable with zero mean. However, a statistical consideration shows that the probability distribution of this effect does not obey the standard central limit theorem. That is, the probability density for the effect averaged over n resonances does not become a Gaussian distribution with the variance decreasing as 1/sqrt(n) (``violation'' of the theorem!). We derive the probability distribution of the effect and the limit distribution of the average. It is found that the width of this distribution does not decrease with the increase of n, i.e., fluctuations are not suppressed by averaging. Furthermore, we consider the correlation between the neutron spin and the scattering plane and find that this effect, although much smaller, shows fluctuations which actually increase upon averaging over many measurements. Limits of the effects due to finite resonance widths are also considered. In the appendix we present a simple derivation of the limit theorem for the average of random variables with infinite variances.

nucl-th↗