arXiv subjects

Petr Navratil

Publications and source records attributed to Petr Navratil.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Nonperturbative renormalization of the neutrinoless double-beta operator in p-shell nuclei

We use Lee-Suzuki mappings and related techniques to construct effective two-body p-shell interactions and neutrinoless double-beta operators that exactly reproduce the results of large no-core-shell-model calculations of double-beta decay in nuclei with mass number A=6. We then apply the effective operators to the decay of nuclei with A=7, 8, and 10, again comparing with no-core calculations in much larger spaces. The results with the effective two-body operators are generally good. In some cases, however, they differ non-negligibly from the full no-core results, suggesting that three-body corrections to the decay operator in heavier nuclei may be important. An application of our procedure and related ideas to fp-shell nuclei such as 76Ge should be feasible within coupled-cluster theory.

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arXiv2011

Ab initio many-body calculation of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B radiative capture

We apply the ab initio no-core shell model/resonating group method (NCSM/RGM) approach to calculate the cross section of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B radiative capture. This reaction is important for understanding the solar neutrino flux. Starting from a selected similarity-transformed chiral nucleon-nucleon interaction that accurately describes two-nucleon data, we performed parameter-free many-body calculations that simultaneously predict both the normalization and the shape of the S-factor. We study the dependence on the number of 7Be eigenstates included in the coupled-channel equations and on the size of the harmonic oscillator basis used for the expansion of the eigenstates and of the localized parts of the integration kernels. Our S-factor result at zero energy is on the lower side of, but consistent with, the latest evaluation.

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arXiv2011

Ab initio many-body calculations of deuteron-4He scattering and 6Li states

We extend the ab initio no-core shell model/resonating-group method (NCSM/RGM) to projectile-target binary-cluster states where the projectile is a deuteron. We discuss the formalism in detail and give algebraic expressions for the integration kernels. Using a soft similarity-renormalization-group evolved chiral nucleon-nucleon potential, we calculate deuteron-4He scattering and investigate 6Li bound and unbound states. Virtual three-body breakup effects are obtained in an approximated way by including excited pseudo-states of the deuteron in the calculation. We compare our results to experiment and to a standard NCSM calculation for 6Li.

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arXiv2010

Ab Initio Theory of Light-ion Reactions

The exact treatment of nuclei starting from the constituent nucleons and the fundamental interactions among them has been a long-standing goal in nuclear physics. Above all nuclear scattering and reactions, which require the solution of the many-body quantum-mechanical problem in the continuum, represent a theoretical and computational challenge for ab initio approaches. After a brief overview of the field, we present a new ab initio many-body approach capable of describing simultaneously both bound and scattering states in light nuclei. By combining the resonating-group method with the ab initio no-core shell model, we complement a microscopic cluster technique with the use of realistic interactions and a microscopic and consistent description of the clusters. We show results for neutron and proton scattering on light nuclei, including p-7Be and n-8He. We also highlight the first results of the d-3He and d-3H fusion calculations obtained within this approach.

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arXiv2010

Ab initio many-body calculations of nucleon scattering on 4He, 7Li, 7Be, 12C and 16O

We combine a recently developed ab initio many-body approach capable of describing simultaneously both bound and scattering states, the ab initio NCSM/RGM, with an importance truncation scheme for the cluster eigenstate basis and demostrate its applicability to nuclei with mass numbers as high as 17. Using soft similarity renormalization group evolved chiral nucleon-nucleon interactions, we first calculate nucleon-4He phase shifts, cross sections and analyzing power. Next, we investigate nucleon scattering on 7Li, 7Be, 12C and 16O in coupled-channel NCSM/RGM calculations that include low-lying excited states of these nuclei. We check the convergence of phase shifts with the basis size and study A=8, 13, and 17 bound and unbound states. Our calculations predict low-lying resonances in 8Li and 8B that have not been experimentally clearly identified yet. We are able to reproduce reasonably well the structure of the A=13 low lying states. However, we find that A=17 states cannot be described without an improved treatment of 16O one-particle-one-hole excitations and alpha clustering.

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arXiv2009

Three-Nucleon Low-Energy Constants from the Consistency of Interactions and Currents in Chiral Effective Field Theory

The chiral low-energy constants c_D and c_E are constrained by means of accurate ab initio calculations of the A=3 binding energies and, for the first time, of the triton beta decay. We demonstrate that these low-energy observables allow a robust determination of the two undetermined constants. The consistency of the interactions and currents in chiral effective field theory is crucial to this remarkable result. The two- plus three-nucleon interactions from chiral effective field theory defined by properties of the A=2 system and the present determination of c_D and c_E are successful in predicting properties of the A=3, and 4 systems.

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arXiv2009

Recent developments in no-core shell-model calculations

We present an overview of recent results and developments of the no-core shell model (NCSM), an ab initio approach to the nuclear many-body problem for light nuclei. In this approach, we start from realistic two-nucleon or two- plus three-nucleon interactions. Many-body calculations are performed using a finite harmonic-oscillator (HO) basis. To facilitate convergence for realistic inter-nucleon interactions that generate strong short-range correlations, we derive effective interactions by unitary transformations that are tailored to the HO basis truncation. For soft realistic interactions this might not be necessary. If that is the case, the NCSM calculations are variational. In either case, the ab initio NCSM preserves translational invariance of the nuclear many-body problem. In this review, we, in particular, highlight results obtained with the chiral two- plus three-nucleon interactions. We discuss efforts to extend the applicability of the NCSM to heavier nuclei and larger model spaces using importance-truncation schemes and/or use of effective interactions with a core. We outline an extension of the ab initio NCSM to the description of nuclear reactions by the resonating group method technique. A future direction of the approach, the ab initio NCSM with continuum, which will provide a complete description of nuclei as open systems with coupling of bound and continuum states, is given in the concluding part of the review.

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arXiv2009

Ab initio many-body calculations of nucleon-nucleus scattering

We develop a new ab initio many-body approach capable of describing simultaneously both bound and scattering states in light nuclei, by combining the resonating-group method with the use of realistic interactions, and a microscopic and consistent description of the nucleon clusters. This approach preserves translational symmetry and Pauli principle. We outline technical details and present phase shift results for neutron scattering on 3H, 4He and 10Be and proton scattering on 3He and 4He, using realistic nucleon-nucleon (NN) potentials. Our A=4 scattering results are compared to earlier ab initio calculations. We find that the CD-Bonn NN potential in particular provides an excellent description of nucleon-4He S-wave phase shifts. On the contrary, the experimental nucleon-4He P-wave phase shifts are not well reproduced by any NN potential we use. We demonstrate that a proper treatment of the coupling to the n-10Be continuum is successful in explaining the parity-inverted ground state in 11Be.

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arXiv2008

Ab Initio Many-Body Calculations of n-3H, n-4He, p-{3,4}He, and n-10Be Scattering

We develop a new ab initio many-body approach capable of describing simultaneously both bound and scattering states in light nuclei, by combining the resonating-group method with the use of realistic interactions, and a microscopic and consistent description of the nucleon clusters. This approach preserves translational symmetry and Pauli principle. We present phase shifts for neutron scattering on 3H, 4He and 10Be and proton scattering on {3,4}He, using realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials. Our A=4 scattering results are compared to earlier ab initio calculations. We demonstrate that a proper treatment of the coupling to the n-10Be continuum is essential to explain the parity-inverted ground state in 11Be.

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arXiv2007

Ab initio no-core shell model calculations for light nuclei

An overview of the ab initio no-core shell model is presented. Recent results for light nuclei obtained with the chiral two-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions are highlighted. Cross section calculations of capture reactions important for astrophysics are discussed. The extension of the ab initio no-core shell model to the description of nuclear reactions by the resonating group method technique is outlined.

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arXiv2007

Local three-nucleon interaction from chiral effective field theory

The three-nucleon (NNN) interaction derived within the chiral effective field theory at the next-to-next-to-leading order (N2LO) is regulated with a function depending on the magnitude of the momentum transfer. The regulated NNN interaction is then local in the coordinate space, which is advantages for some many-body techniques. Matrix elements of the local chiral NNN interaction are evaluated in a three-nucleon basis. Using the ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM) the NNN matrix elements are employed in 3H and 4He bound-state calculations.

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arXiv2006

Benchmark calculation of inclusive electromagnetic responses in the four-body nuclear system

Both the no-core shell model and the effective interaction hyperspherical harmonic approaches are applied to the calculation of different response functions to external electromagnetic probes, using the Lorentz integral transform method. The test is performed on the four-body nuclear system, within a simple potential model. The quality of the agreement in the various cases is discussed, together with the perspectives for rigorous ab initio calculations of cross sections of heavier nuclei.

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arXiv2006

From non-Hermitian effective operators to large-scale no-core shell model calculations for light nuclei

No-core shell model (NCSM) calculations using ab initio effective interactions are very successful in reproducing experimental nuclear spectra. The main theoretical approach is the use of effective operators, which include correlations left out by the truncation of the model space to a numerically tractable size. We review recent applications of the effective operator approach, within a NCSM framework, to the renormalization of the nucleon-nucleon interaction, as well as scalar and tensor operators.

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arXiv2006

Long- and short-range correlations in the ab-initio no-core shell model

In the framework of the ab-initio no-core shell model (NCSM), we describe the longitudinal-longitudinal distribution function, part of the inclusive (e,e') longitudinal response. In the two-body cluster approximation, we compute the effective operators consistent with the unitary transformation used to obtain the effective Hamiltonian. When short-range correlations are probed, the results display independence from the model space size and length scale. Long-range correlations are more difficult to model in the NCSM and they can be described only by increasing the model space or increasing the cluster size. In order to illustrate the model space independence for short-range observables, we present results for a large set of model spaces for 4He, and in 0-4hw model spaces for 12C.

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arXiv2005

Effective operators within the ab initio no-core shell model

We implement an effective operator formalism for general one- and two-body operators, obtaining results consistent with the no-core shell model (NCSM) wave functions. The Argonne V8' nucleon-nucleon potential was used in order to obtain realistic wave functions for 4He, 6Li and 12C. In the NCSM formalism, we compute electromagnetic properties using the two-body cluster approximation for the effective operators and obtain results which are sensitive to the range of the bare operator. To illuminate the dependence on the range, we employ a Gaussian two-body operator of variable range, finding weak renormalization of long range operators (e.g., quadrupole) in a fixed model space. This is understood in terms of the two-body cluster approximation which accounts mainly for short-range correlations. Consequently, short range operators, such as the relative kinetic energy, will be well renormalized in the two-body cluster approximation.

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arXiv2004

Cluster form factor calculation in the ab initio no-core shell model

We derive expressions for cluster overlap integrals or channel cluster form factors for ab initio no-core shell model (NCSM) wave functions. These are used to obtain the spectroscopic factors and can serve as a starting point for the description of low-energy nuclear reactions. We consider the composite system and the target nucleus to be described in the Slater determinant (SD) harmonic oscillator (HO) basis while the projectile eigenstate to be expanded in the Jacobi coordinate HO basis. This is the most practical case. The spurious center of mass components present in the SD bases are removed exactly. The calculated cluster overlap integrals are translationally invariant. As an illustration, we present results of cluster form factor calculations for <5He|4He+n>, <5He|3H+d>, <6Li|4He+d>, <6Be|3He+3He>, <7Li|4He+3H>, <7Li|6Li+n>, <8Be|6Li+d>, <8Be|7Li+p>, <9Li|8Li+n> and <13C|12C+n>, with all the nuclei described by multi-hbar Omega NCSM wave functions.

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arXiv2004

Electromagnetic transitions with effective operators

In the no-core shell model formalism we compute effective one- and two-body operators, using the Lee-Suzuki procedure within the two-body cluster approximation. We evaluate the validity of the latter through calculations in reduced model spaces. In particular, we test the results for the two-body system and find that indeed the effective operators in the reduced space reproduce the expectation values or transition strengths computed in the full space. On the other hand, the renormalization for operators in the case of 6Li is very weak, suggesting the need for higher-body clusters in computing the effective interaction.

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