arXiv subjects

J. Engel

Publications and source records attributed to J. Engel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Benchmark neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements in a light nucleus

We compute nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double-beta decay mediated by light Majorana-neutrino exchange in the A = 6 system. The goal is to benchmark two many-body approaches, the No-Core Shell Model and the Multi-Reference In-Medium Similarity Renormalization Group. We use the SRG-evolved chiral N3LO-EM500 potential for the nuclear interaction, and make the approximation that isospin is conserved. We compare the results of the two approaches as a function of the cutoff on the many-body basis space. Although differences are seen in the predicted nuclear radii, the ground-state energies and neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements produced by the two approaches show significant agreement. We discuss the implications for calculations in heavier nuclei.

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arXiv2019

Proceedings of The Magnificent CE$ν$NS Workshop 2018

The Magnificent CE$ν$NS Workshop (2018) was held November 2 & 3 of 2018 on the University of Chicago campus and brought together theorists, phenomenologists, and experimentalists working in numerous areas but sharing a common interest in the process of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$ν$NS). This is a collection of abstract-like summaries of the talks given at the meeting, including links to the slides presented. This document and the slides from the meeting provide an overview of the field and a snapshot of the robust CE$ν$NS-related efforts both planned and underway.

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arXiv2019

Constraints for stellar electron-capture rates on $^{86}$Kr via the $^{86}$Kr($t$,$^{3}$He$+γ$)$^{86}$Br reaction and the implications for core-collapse supernovae

In the late stages of stellar core-collapse, prior to core bounce, electron captures on medium-heavy nuclei drive deleptonization and simulations require the use of accurate reaction rates. Nuclei with neutron number near $N=50$, just above atomic number $Z=28$, play an important role, but rates used in astrophysical simulations rely primarily on a relatively simple single-state approximation. In order to improve the accuracy of astrophysical simulations, experimental data are needed to test the electron-capture rates and to guide the development of better theoretical models. This work presents the results of the $^{86}$Kr($t$,$^{3}$He+$γ$) experiment at the NSCL, from which an upper limit for the Gamow-Teller strength up to an excitation energy in $^{86}$Br of 5 MeV is extracted. The derived upper limit for the electron-capture rate on $^{86}$Kr indicates that the rate estimated through the single-state approximation is too high and that rates based on Gamow-Teller strengths estimated in shell-model and QRPA calculations are more accurate. The QRPA calculations tested in this manner were used for estimating the electron capture rates for 78 isotopes near $N=50$ and above $Z=28$. The impact of using these new electron-capture rates in simulations of supernovae instead of the rates based on the single-state approximation is investigated, indicating a significant reduction in the deleptonization that affects multi-messenger signals, such as the emission of neutrinos and gravitational waves.

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arXiv2019

Experimental Constraint on Stellar Electron-Capture Rates from the ${}^{88}\text{Sr}(t,{}^{3}\text{He}+γ){}^{88}\text{Rb}$ reaction at 115 MeV/u

The Gamow-Teller strength distribution from ${}^{88}$Sr was extracted from a $(t,{}^{3}\text{He}+γ)$ experiment at 115 MeV/$u$ to constrain estimates for the electron-capture rates on nuclei around $N=50$, between and including $^{78}$Ni and $^{88}$Sr, which are important for the late evolution of core-collapse supernovae. The observed strength below an excitation energy of 8 MeV was consistent with zero and below 10 MeV amounted to $0.1\pm0.05$. Except for a very-weak transition that could come from the 2.231-MeV $1^{+}$ state, no $γ$ lines that could be associated with the decay of known $1^{+}$ states were identified. The derived electron-capture rate from the measured strength distribution is more than an order of magnitude smaller than rates based on the single-state approximation presently used in astrophysical simulations for most nuclei near $N=50$. Rates based on shell-model and quasiparticle random-phase approximation calculations that account for Pauli blocking and core-polarization effects provide better estimates than the single-state approximation, although a relatively strong transition to the first $1^{+}$ state in $^{88}$Rb is not observed in the data. Pauli unblocking effects due to high stellar temperatures could partially counter the low electron-capture rates. The new data serves as a zero-temperature benchmark for constraining models used to estimate such effects.

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arXiv2018

Generator-coordinate reference states for spectra and $0νββ$ decay in the in-medium similarity renormalization group

We use a reference state based on symmetry-restored states from deformed mean-field or generator-coordinate-method (GCM) calculations in conjunction with the in-medium similarity-renormalization group (IMSRG) to compute spectra and matrix elements for neutrinoless double-beta ($0νββ$) decay. Because the decay involves ground states from two nuclei, we use evolved operators from the IMSRG in one nucleus in a subsequent GCM calculation in the other. We benchmark the resulting IMSRG+GCM method against complete shell-model diagonalization for both the energies of low-lying states in $^{48}$Ca and $^{48}$Ti and the $0νββ$ matrix element for the decay of $^{48}$Ca, all in a single valence shell. Our approach produces better spectra than either the IMSRG with a spherical-mean-field reference or GCM calculations with unevolved operators. For the $0νββ$ matrix element the improvement is slight, but we expect more significant effects in full ab-initio calculations.

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arXiv2017

Neutron-proton pairing and double-beta decay in the interacting boson model

Background: The interacting boson model (IBM) has been used extensively to calculate the matrix elements governing neutrinoless double-beta decay. Studies within other models indicate that a good description of neutron-proton pairing is essential for accurate calculations of those matrix elements. The usual interacting boson model is based only on like-particle pairs, however, and the extent to which it captures neutron-proton pairing is not clear. Purpose: To determine whether neutron-proton pairing should be explicitly included as neutron-proton bosons in IBM calculations of neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements. Method: An isospin-invariant version of the nucleon-pair shell model is applied to carry out shell-model calculations in a large space and in a collective subspace, and to define effective operators in the latter. A democratic mapping is then used to define corresponding boson operators for the IBM, with and without an isoscalar neutron-proton pair boson. Results: IBM calculations with and without the isoscalar boson are carried out for nuclei near the beginning of the $pf$ shell, with a realistic shell-model Hamiltonian and neutrinoless double-beta-decay operator as the starting point. Energy spectra and double-beta matrix elements are compared to those obtained in the underlying shell model. Conclusions: The isoscalar boson does not improve energy spectra but does improve double-beta matrix elements. To be useful at the level of precision we need, the mapping procedure must be further developed to better determine the dependence of the boson Hamiltonian and decay operator on particle number and isospin. But the benefits provided by the isoscalar boson suggest that through an appropriate combination of mappings and fitting, it would make IBM matrix elements more accurate for the heavier nuclei used in experiments.

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arXiv2017

Neutrinoless double-beta decay matrix elements in large shell-model spaces with the generator-coordinate method

We use the generator-coordinate method with realistic shell-model interactions to closely approximate full shell-model calculations of the matrix elements for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{48}$Ca, $^{76}$Ge, and $^{82}$Se. We work in one major shell for the first isotope, in the $f_{5/2}pg_{9/2}$ space for the second and third, and finally in two major shells for all three. Our coordinates include not only the usual axial deformation parameter $β$, but also the triaxiality angle $γ$ and neutron-proton pairing amplitudes. In the smaller model spaces our matrix elements agree well with those of full shell-model diagonalization, suggesting that our Hamiltonian-based GCM captures most of the important valence-space correlations. In two major shells, where exact diagonalization is not currently possible, our matrix elements are only slightly different from those in a single shell.

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arXiv2016

Octupole correlations in low-lying states of 150Nd and 150Sm and their impact on neutrinoless double-beta decay

We present a generator-coordinate calculation, based on a relativistic energy-density functional, of the low-lying spectra in the isotopes $^{150}$Nd and $^{150}$Sm and of the nuclear matrix element that governs the neutrinoless double-beta decay of the first isotope to the second. We carefully examine the impact of octupole correlations on both nuclear structure and the double-beta decay matrix element. Octupole correlations turn out to reduce quadrupole collectivity in both nuclei. Shape fluctuations, however, dilute the effects of octupole deformation on the double-beta decay matrix element, so that the overall octupole-induced quenching is only about 7\%.

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arXiv2016

Beta decay of deformed r-process nuclei near A = 80 and A= 160, including odd-A and odd-odd nuclei, with the Skyrme finite-amplitude method

After identifying the nuclei in the regions near A =80 and A = 160 for which beta-decay rates have the greatest effect on weak and main r-process abundance patterns, we apply the finite-amplitude method (FAM) with Skyrme energy-density functionals (EDFs) to calculate beta-decay half-lives of those nuclei in the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA). We use the equal filling approximation to extend our implementation of the charge-changing FAM, which incorporates pairing correlations and allows axially symmetric deformation, to odd-A and odd-odd nuclei. Within this framework we find differences of up to a factor of seven between our calculated beta-decay half-lives and those of previous efforts. Repeated calculations with nuclei near A = 160 and multiple EDFs show a spread of two to four in beta-decay half-lives, with differences in calculated Q values playing an important role. We investigate the implications of these results for r-process simulations.

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arXiv2016

Testing the importance of collective correlations in neutrinoless $ββ$ decay

We investigate the extent to which theories of collective motion can capture the physics that determines the nuclear matrix elements governing neutrinoless double-beta decay. To that end we calculate the matrix elements for a series of isotopes in the full $pf$ shell, omitting no spin-orbit partners. With the inclusion of isoscalar pairing, a separable collective Hamiltonian that is derived from the shell model effective interaction reproduces the full shell-model matrix elements with good accuracy. A version of the generator coordinate method that includes the isoscalar pairing amplitude as a coordinate also reproduces the shell model results well, an encouraging result for theories of collective motion, which can include more single-particle orbitals than the shell model. We briefly examine heavier nuclei relevant for experimental double-beta decay searches, in which shell-model calculations with all spin-orbit partners are not feasible; our estimates suggest that isoscalar pairing also plays a significant role in these nuclei, though one we are less able to quantify precisely.

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arXiv2015

Global description of beta-minus decay in even-even nuclei with the axially-deformed Skyrme finite amplitude method

We use the finite amplitude method for computing charge-changing Skyrme-QRPA transition strengths in axially-deformed nuclei together with a modern Skyrme energy-density functional to fit several previously unconstrained parameters in the charge-changing time-odd part of the functional. With the modified functional we then calculate rates of beta-minus decay for all medium-mass and heavy even-even nuclei between the valley of stability and the neutron drip line. We fit the Skyrme parameters to a limited set of beta-decay rates, a set of Gamow-Teller resonance energies, and a set of spin-dipole resonance energies, in both spherical and deformed nuclei. Comparison to available experimental beta-decay rates shows agreement at roughly the same level as in other global QRPA calculations. We estimate the uncertainty in our rates all the way to the neutron drip line through a construction that extrapolates the errors of known beta-decay rates in nuclei with intermediate Q values to less stable isotopes with higher Q values.

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arXiv2015

Subtraction method in the second random--phase approximation: first applications with a Skyrme energy functional

We make use of a subtraction procedure, introduced to overcome double--counting problems in beyond--mean--field theories, in the second random--phase--approximation (SRPA) for the first time. This procedure guarantees the stability of SRPA (so that all excitation energies are real). We show that the method fits perfectly into nuclear density--functional theory. We illustrate applications to the monopole and quadrupole response and to low--lying $0^+$ and $2^+$ states in the nucleus $^{16}$O. We show that the subtraction procedure leads to: (i) results that are weakly cutoff dependent; (ii) a considerable reduction of the SRPA downwards shift with respect to the random--phase approximation (RPA) spectra (systematically found in all previous applications). This implementation of the SRPA model will allow a reliable analysis of the effects of 2 particle--2 hole configurations ($2p2h$) on the excitation spectra of medium--mass and heavy nuclei.

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arXiv2014

Finite Amplitude Method for Charge-Changing Transitions in Axially-Deformed Nuclei

We describe and apply a version of the finite amplitude method for obtaining the charge-changing nuclear response in the quasiparticle random phase approximation. The method is suitable for calculating strength functions and beta-decay rates, both allowed and forbidden, in axially-deformed open-shell nuclei. We demonstrate the speed and versatility of the code through a preliminary examination of the effects of tensor terms in Skyrme functionals on beta decay in a set of spherical and deformed open-shell nuclei. Like the isoscalar pairing interaction, the tensor terms systematically increase allowed beta-decay rates. This finding generalizes previous work in semimagic nuclei and points to the need for a comprehensive study of time-odd terms in nuclear density functionals.

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arXiv2014

Chiral Two-Body Currents and Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay in the QRPA

We test the effects of an approximate treatment of two-body contributions to the axial-vector current on the QRPA matrix elements for neutrinoless double-beta decay in a range of isotopes. The form and strength of the two-body terms come from chiral effective-field theory. The two-body currents typically reduce the matrix elements by about 20%, not as much as in shell-model calculations. One reason for the difference is that standard practice in the QRPA is to adjust the strength of the isoscalar pairing interaction to reproduce two-neutrino double-beta decay lifetimes. Another may be the larger QRPA single-particle space. Whatever the reasons, the effects on neutrinoless decay are significantly less than those on two-neutrino decay, both in the shell model and the QRPA.

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arXiv2014

Ab-initio coupled-cluster effective interactions for the shell model: Application to neutron-rich oxygen and carbon isotopes

We derive and compute effective valence-space shell-model interactions from ab-initio coupled-cluster theory and apply them to open-shell and neutron-rich oxygen and carbon isotopes. Our shell-model interactions are based on nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon forces from chiral effective-field theory. We compute the energies of ground and low-lying states, and find good agreement with experiment. In particular our calculations are consistent with the N=14, 16 shell closures in oxygen-22 and oxygen-24, while for carbon-20 the corresponding N=14 closure is weaker. We find good agreement between our coupled-cluster effective-interaction results with those obtained from standard single-reference coupled-cluster calculations for up to eight valence neutrons.

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arXiv2013

New determination of double-beta-decay properties in 48Ca: high-precision Q-value measurement and improved nuclear matrix element calculations

We report a direct measurement of the Q-value of the neutrinoless double-beta-decay candidate 48Ca at the TITAN Penning-trap mass spectrometer, with the result that Q = 4267.98(32) keV. We measured the masses of both the mother and daughter nuclides, and in the latter case found a 1 keV deviation from the literature value. In addition to the Q-value, we also present results of a new calculation of the neutrinoless double-beta-decay nuclear matrix element of 48Ca. Using diagrammatic many-body perturbation theory to second order to account for physics outside the valence space, we constructed an effective shell-model double-beta-decay operator, which increased the nuclear matrix element by about 75% compared with that produced by the bare operator. The new Q-value and matrix element strengthen the case for a 48Ca double-beta-decay experiment.

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arXiv2013

Large-Scale Calculations of the Double-Beta Decay of 76Ge, 130Te, 136Xe, and 150Nd in the Deformed Self-Consistent Skyrme Quasiparticle Random-Phase Approximation

We use the axially-deformed Skyrme Quasiparticle Random-Phase Approximation (QRPA) together with the SkM* energy-density functional, both as originally presented and with the time-odd part adjusted to reproduce the Gamow-Teller resonance energy in 208Pb, to calculate the matrix elements governing the neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76Ge, 130Te, 136Xe, and 150Nd. Our matrix elements in 130Te and 136Xe are significantly smaller than those of previous QRPA calculations, primarily because of the difference in pairing or deformation between the initial and final nuclei. In 76Ge and 150Nd our results are similar to those of less computationally intensive QRPA calculations. We suspect the 76Ge result, however, because we are forced to use a spherical ground-state, even though the HFB indicates a deformed minimum.

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arXiv2011

Towards a Microscopic Reaction Description Based on Energy-Density-Functional Structure Models

A microscopic calculation of reaction cross sections for nucleon-nucleus scattering has been performed by explicitly coupling the elastic channel to all particle-hole excitations in the target and one-nucleon pickup channels. The particle-hole states may be regarded as doorway states through which the flux flows to more complicated configurations, and subsequently to long-lived compound nucleus resonances. Target excitations for $^{40,48}$Ca, $^{58}$Ni, $^{90}$Zr and $^{144}$Sm were described in a random-phase framework using a Skyrme functional. Reaction cross sections obtained agree very well with experimental data and predictions of a state-of-the-art fitted optical potential. Couplings between inelastic states were found to be negligible, while the pickup channels contribute significantly. The effect of resonances from higher-order channels was assessed. Elastic angular distributions were also calculated within the same method, achieving good agreement with experimental data. For the first time observed absorptions are completely accounted for by explicit channel coupling, for incident energies between 10 and 70 MeV, with consistent angular distribution results.

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