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Jorge G. Hirsch

Publications and source records attributed to Jorge G. Hirsch.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

A semiclassical description of the Autocorrelations in Nuclear Masses

Nuclear mass autocorrelations are investigated as a function of the number of nucleons. The fluctuating part of these autocorrelations is modeled by a parameter free model in which the nucleons are confined in a rigid sphere. Explicit results are obtained by using periodic orbit theory. Despite the simplicity of the model we have found a remarkable quantitative agreement of the mass autocorrelations for all nuclei in the nuclear data chart. In order to achieve a similar degree of agreement for the nuclear masses themselves it is necessary to consider additional variables such as multipolar corrections to the spherical shape and an effective number of nucleons. Our findings suggest that higher order effects like nuclear deformations or residual interactions have little relevance in the description of the fluctuations of the nuclear autocorrelations.

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Low energy 0+ excitations in 158Gd

High precision (p,t) studies of the deformed nucleus 158Gd allowed the observation of 13 excited 0+ states below an excitation energy of 3.1 MeV. This high density of low energy states, and particularly their measured B(E2) transition strengths to the first excited 2+ state challenge nuclear models. The pseudo SU(3) model, which successfully describes many excited bands in Dy isotopes, is used to analyze this nuclei. We have fairly good reproduction of most of the states but the absence of actively including nucleons occupying intruders orbits may be the reason for the observed limitations of the model.

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Ground state energy fluctuations in the Nuclear Shell Model

Statistical fluctuations of the nuclear ground state energies are estimated using shell model calculations in which particles in the valence shells interact through well defined forces, and are coupled to an upper shell governed by random 2-body interactions. Induced ground-state energy fluctuations are found to be one order of magnitude smaller than those previously associated with chaotic components, in close agreement with independent perturbative estimates based on the spreading widths of excited states.

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Bounds on the presence of quantum chaos in nuclear masses

Differences between measured nuclear masses and those calculated using the Finite Range Droplet Model are analyzed. It is shown that they have a well defined, clearly correlated oscillatory component as a function of the proton and neutron numbers. At the same time, they exhibit in their power spectrum the presence of chaos. Comparison with other mass calculations strongly suggest that this chaotic component arises from many body effects not included in the mass formula, and that they do not impose limits in the precision of mass calculations.

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Nuclear masses set bounds on quantum chaos

It has been suggested that chaotic motion inside the nucleus may significantly limit the accuracy with which nuclear masses can be calculated. Using a power spectrum analysis we show that the inclusion of additional physical contributions in mass calculations, through many-body interactions or local information, removes the chaotic signal in the discrepancies between calculated and measured masses. Furthermore, a systematic application of global mass formulas and of a set of relationships among neighboring nuclei to more than 2000 nuclear masses allows to set an unambiguous upper bound for the average errors in calculated masses which turn out to be almost an order of magnitude smaller than estimated chaotic components.

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Quantum chaos and nuclear mass systematics

The presence of quantum chaos in nuclear mass systematics is analyzed by considering the differences between measured and calculated nuclear masses as a time series described by the power law 1/ f^alpha. While for the liquid droplet model plus shell corrections a quantum chaotic behavior alpha approx 1 is found, errors in the microscopic mass formula have alpha approx 0.5, closer to white noise. The chaotic behavior seems to arise from many body effects not included in the mass formula.

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Residual correlations in liquid drop mass calculations

A systematic study of correlations in the chart of calculated masses of Moller and Nix is presented. It is shown that the differences between the masses calculated by Moller at al and the measured ones have a well defined oscillatory component as function of N and Z, which can be removed with an appropriate fit, reducing significantly the error width, and concentrating the error distribution on a single peak around zero. The residual correlations can have important consequences in the errors as signaling the presence of chaos, as was recently proposed.

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Pseudo + quasi SU(3): Towards a shell-model description of heavy deformed nuclei

The pseudo-SU(3) model has been extensively used to study normal parity bands in even-even and odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei. The use of a realistic Hamiltonian that mixes many SU(3) irreps has allowed for a successful description of energy spectra and electromagnetic transition strengths. While this model is powerful, there are situations in which the intruder states must be taken into account explicitly. The quasi-SU(3) symmetry is expected to complement the model, allowing for a description of nucleons occupying normal and intruder parity orbitals using a unified formalism.

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Microscopic description of the scissors mode in odd-mass heavy deformed nuclei

Pseudo-SU(3) shell-model results are reported for M1 excitation strengths in 157-Gd, 163-Dy and 169-Tm in the energy range between 2 and 4 MeV. Non-zero pseudo-spin couplings between the configurations play a very important role in determining the M1 strength distribution, especially its rapidly changing fragmentation pattern which differs significantly from what has been found in neighboring even-even systems. The results suggest one should examine contributions from intruder levels.

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Selection rules in the double beta decay of deformed nuclei

The 2 nu double beta decay half-lives of six nuclei, whose decays were previously reported as theoretically forbidden, are calculated by including the pairing interaction, which mixes different occupations and opens up the possibility of the decay. All allowed channels for the 0 nu double beta decay are also computed. The estimated 2 nu double beta half-lives suggest that measurements in 244Pu may find positive signals, and that planned experiments would succeed in detecting the 2 nu double beta decay in 160Gd. Limits for the zero neutrino mode, in the analyzed deformed emitters, are predicted.

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Theoretical description of the double beta decay of 160Gd

The half-life of the 2 neutrino double-beta-decay of 160Gd, a process which was previously reported as theoretically forbidden, is estimated by including the pairing interaction, which mixes different occupations and opens channels for the decay. Explicit expressions are presented for the pairing mixing, and for the 2 nu and 0 nu double-beta-decay nuclear matrix elements in the present pseudo SU(3) approach. The estimated double-beta-decay half-lives suggest that the planned experiments would succeed in detecting the 2 nu double-beta-decay in 160Gd, and in putting competitive limits for the zero neutrino mode.

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Double beta decay in deformed nuclei

The pseudo SU(3) approach has been used to describe many low-lying rotational bands, as well as BE(2) and B(M1) intensities in rare earth and actinide nuclei, both with even-even and odd-mass numbers . The double beta half lives of some of these parent nuclei to the ground and excited states of the daughter ones were evaluated for the two and zero neutrino emitting modes using the pseudo SU(3) scheme. The predictions were in good agreement with the available experimental data for 150Nd and 238U. The double electron capture half-lives of 156Dy, 162Er and 168Yb were also studied using the same formalism. The first nuclei was found to be the best candidate for experimental detection, with a half-life of 10^24 yr to the first excited 0+ state in 156Gd. There are strong selection rules which restrict the two neutrino mode of the double beta decay in some other nuclei, including 160Gd. Experimental limits for the double beta decay of 160Gd have been reported . Recently it was argued that the strong cancellation of the 2nu mode in the double beta decay of 160Gd would suppress the background for the detection of the 0nu mode. In the present contribution we extend the previous research evaluating the double beta half lives of 160Gd using the pseudo SU(3) model. While the 2nu mode is forbidden when the most probable occupations are considered, states with different occupation numbers can be mixed through the pairing interaction. The amount of this mixing is evaluated using perturbation theory. The possibility of observing the double beta decay in 160Gd is discussed for both the 2nu and 0nu modes.

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Fully Self-consistent RPA description of the many level pairing model

The Self-Consistent RPA (SCRPA) equations in the particle-particle channel are solved without any approximation for the picket fence model. The results are in excellent agreement with the exact solutions found with the Richardson method. Particularly interesting features are that screening corrections reverse the sign of the interaction and that SCRPA yields the exact energies in the case of two levels with two particles.

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Band Crossing and Signature Splitting in Odd Mass fp Shell Nuclei

Structure of two sets of mirror nuclei: 47V - 47Cr and 49Cr - 49Mn, as well as 49V and 51Mn, is studied using the projected shell model. Their yrast spectra are described as an interplay between the angular momentum projected states around the Fermi level which carry different intrinsic K-quantum numbers. The deviations from a regular rotational sequence are attributed to band crossing and signature splitting, which are usually discussed in heavy nuclear systems. Our results agree reasonably with experimental data, and are comparable with those from the full $pf$ shell model calculations.

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Limitations of the number selfconsistent Random Phase Approximation

The Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation equations are solved taking into account the Pauli Principle at the expectation value level, and allowing changes in the mean field occupation numbers to minimize the energy while having the correct number of particles in the correlated vacuum. The study of Fermi pn excitations in $^{76}$Ge using a realistic Hilbert space shows that the pairing energy gaps in the modified mean field are diminished up to one half of the experimental value when strong proton-neutron correlations are present. Additionally, the Ikeda sum rule for Fermi transitions is violated due to the lack of scattering terms in the phonon operators. These results call for a critical revision of the double beta decay half-lives estimated using the QRPA extensions when standard QRPA calculations collapse.

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Multi-Phonon $γ$-Vibrational Bands and the Triaxial Projected Shell Model

We present a fully quantum-mechanical, microscopic, unified treatment of ground-state band and multi-phonon $γ$-vibrational bands using shell model diagonalization with the triaxial projected shell model. The results agree very well with data on the g- and $γ$-band spectra in $^{156-170}$Er, as well as with recently measured $4^+$ 2-phonon $γ$-bandhead energies in $^{166}$Er and $^{168}$Er. Multi-phonon $γ$-excitation energies are predicted.

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Double electron capture in 156Dy, 162Er and 168Yb

The double electron capture half-lives of 156Dy, 162Er and 168Yb are evaluated using the pseudo SU(3) model, which describes ground and excited bands as well as their B(E2) and B(M1) transition strengths in remarkable agreement with experiment. The best candidate for experimental detection is the decay 156Dy -> 156Gd, with tau{1/2} (0+{gs} --> 0+{gs}) = 2.74 E22 yrs and tau{1/2} (0+{gs} --> 0+{1}) = 8.31 E24 yrs.

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QRPA and its extensions in a solvable model

An exactly solvable model is introduced, which is equivalent to the exact shell-model treatment of protons and neutrons in a single j-shell for Fermi-type excitations. Exact energies, quasiparticle numbers and double beta decay Fermi amplitudes are computed and compared with the results of both the standard quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) and the renormalized one (RQRPA), and also with those corresponding to the hamiltonian in the quasiparticle basis (qp). A zero excitation energy state is found in the exact case, occuring at a value of the residual particle-particle interaction at which the QRPA collapse. The RQRPA and the qp solutions do not include this zero-energy eigenvalue in their spectra, probably due to spurious correlations.

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