Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

S. Bacca

Publications and source records attributed to S. Bacca.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Nuclear Charge Radii of the Nickel Isotopes $^{58-68,70}$Ni

Collinear laser spectroscopy is performed on the nickel isotopes $^{58-68,70}$Ni, using a time-resolved photon counting system. From the measured isotope shifts, nuclear charge radii $R_c$ are extracted and compared to theoretical results. Three ab initio approaches all employ, among others, the chiral interaction NNLO$_{\rm sat}$, which allows an assessment of their accuracy. We find agreement with experiment in differential radii $δ\left\langle r_\mathrm{c}^2 \right\rangle$ for all employed ab initio methods and interactions, while the absolute radii are consistent with data only for NNLO$_{\rm sat}$. Within nuclear density functional theory, the Skyrme functional SV-min matches experiment more closely than the Fayans functional Fy($Δr$,HFB).

nucl-ex↗

Removing center of mass effects in response function and sum rule calculations based on the harmonic oscillator basis

Response functions are at the heart of any comparison of theory with experiment in studies of the nuclear dynamics with electroweak probes. Calculations performed in the laboratory frame often suffer from center of mass contaminations that need to be removed. By confining the system in a harmonic oscillator, we derive a set of analytical formulas to subtract the center of mass effects from calculations of response functions and associated sum rules. After a general analytical derivation, we first deal specifically with the longitudinal response function appearing in electron scattering and provide expressions for the center of mass correcting functions. Next, we present a proof of principle study for the case of the electric dipole sum rules in a two-body problem with a numerical implementation of our formalism. These steps pave the way to applying the proposed method to heavier nuclei in the future.

nucl-th↗

Ab initio computation of the longitudinal response function in $^{40}$Ca

We present a consistent \emph{ab initio} computation of the longitudinal response function $R_L$ in $^{40}$Ca using the coupled-cluster and Lorentz integral transform methods starting from chiral nucleon-nucleon and three-nucleon interactions. We validate our approach by comparing our results for $R_L$ in $^4$He and the Coulomb sum rule in $^{40}$Ca against experimental data and other calculations. For $R_L$ in $^{40}$Ca we obtain a very good agreement with experiment in the quasi-elastic peak up to intermediate momentum transfers, and we find that final state interactions are essential for an accurate description of the data. This work presents a milestone towards \emph{ab initio} computations of neutrino-nucleus cross sections relevant for experimental long-baseline neutrino programs.

nucl-th↗

Role of chiral two-body currents in $^6$Li magnetic properties in light of a new precision measurement with the relative self-absorption technique

A direct measurement of the decay width of the excited $0^+_1$ state of $^6$Li using the relative self-absorption technique is reported. Our value of $Γ_{γ, 0^+_1 \to 1^+_1} = 8.17(14)_\mathrm{stat.}(11)_\mathrm{syst.} \mathrm{eV}$ provides sufficiently low experimental uncertainties to test modern theories of nuclear forces. The corresponding transition rate is compared to the results of ab initio calculations based on chiral effective field theory that take into account contributions to the magnetic dipole operator beyond leading order. This enables a precision test of the impact of two-body currents that enter at next-to-leading order.

nucl-ex↗

Coulomb sum rule for $^4$He and $^{16}$O from coupled-cluster theory

We demonstrate the capability of coupled-cluster theory to compute the Coulomb sum rule for the $^4$He and $^{16}$O nuclei using interactions from chiral effective field theory. We perform several checks, including a few-body benchmark for $^4$He. We provide an analysis of the center-of-mass contaminations, which we are able to safely remove. We then compare with other theoretical results and experimental data available in the literature, obtaining a fair agreement. This is a first and necessary step towards initiating a program for computing neutrino-nucleus interactions from first principles and supporting the experimental long-baseline neutrino program with a state-of-the-art theory that can reach medium-mass nuclei.

nucl-th↗

Charge radius of the short-lived $^{68}$Ni and correlation with the dipole polarizability

We present the first laser spectroscopic measurement of the neutron-rich nucleus $^{68}$Ni at the \mbox{$N=40$} subshell closure and extract its nuclear charge radius. Since this is the only short-lived isotope for which the dipole polarizability $α_{\rm D}$ has been measured, the combination of these observables provides a benchmark for nuclear structure theory. We compare them to novel coupled-cluster calculations based on different chiral two- and three-nucleon interactions, for which a strong correlation between the charge radius and dipole polarizability is observed, similar to the stable nucleus $^{48}$Ca. Three-particle--three-hole correlations in coupled-cluster theory substantially improve the description of the experimental data, which allows to constrain the neutron radius and neutron skin of $^{68}$Ni.

nucl-ex↗

Benchmark calculations of electromagnetic sum rules with a symmetry-adapted basis and hyperspherical harmonics

We demonstrate the ability to calculate electromagnetic sum rules with the \textit{ab initio} symmetry-adapted no-core shell model. By implementing the Lanczos algorithm, we compute non-energy weighted, energy weighted, and inverse energy weighted sum rules for electric monopole, dipole, and quadrupole transitions in $^4$He using realistic interactions. We benchmark the results with the hyperspherical harmonics method and show agreement within $2σ$, where the uncertainties are estimated from the use of the many-body technique. We investigate the dependence of the results on three different interactions, including chiral potentials, and we report on the $^4$He electric dipole polarizability calculated in the SA-NCSM that reproduces the experimental data and earlier theoretical outcomes. We also detail a novel use of the Lawson procedure to remove the spurious center-of-mass contribution to the sum rules that arises from using laboratory-frame coordinates. We further show that this same technique can be applied in the Lorentz integral transform method, with a view toward studies of electromagnetic reactions for light through medium-mass nuclei.

nucl-th↗

Muonic Lithium atoms: nuclear structure corrections to the Lamb shift

In view of the future plans to measure the Lamb shift in muonic Lithium atoms we address the microscopic theory of the $μ$-$^6$Li$^{2+}$ and $μ$-$^7$Li$^{2+}$ systems. The goal of the CREMA collaboration is to measure the Lamb shift to extract the charge radius with high precision and compare it to electron scattering data or atomic spectroscopy to see if interesting puzzles, such as the proton and deuteron radius puzzles, arise. For this experiment to be successful, theoretical information on the nuclear structure corrections to the Lamb shift is needed. For $μ$-$^6$Li$^{2+}$ and $μ$-$^7$Li$^{2+}$ there exist only estimates of nuclear structure corrections based on experimental data that suffer from very large uncertainties. We present the first steps towards an ab initio computation of these quantities using few-body techniques.

nucl-th↗

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering on 40Ar from first principles

Coherent elastic neutrino scattering on the 40Ar nucleus is computed with coupled-cluster theory based on nuclear Hamiltonians inspired by effective field theories of quantum chromodynamics. Our approach is validated by calculating the charge form factor and comparing it to data from electron scattering. We make predictions for the weak form factor, the neutron radius, and the neutron skin, and estimate systematic uncertainties. The neutron-skin thickness of 40Ar40 is consistent with results from density functional theory. Precision measurements from coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering could potentially be used to extract these observables and help to constrain nuclear models.

nucl-th↗

Zemach moments and radii of 2,3H and 3,4He

We present benchmark calculations of Zemach moments and radii of 2,3H and 3,4He using various few-body methods. Zemach moments are required to interpret muonic atom data measured by the CREMA collaboration at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Conversely, radii extracted from spectroscopic measurements can be compared with ab initio computations, posing stringent constraints on the nuclear model. For a given few-body method, different numerical procedures can be applied to compute these quantities. A detailed analysis of the numerical uncertainties entering the total theoretical error is presented. Uncertainties from the few-body method and the calculational procedure are found to be smaller than the dependencies on the dynamical modeling and the single nucleon inputs, which are found to be <= 2%. When relativistic corrections and two-body currents are accounted for, the calculated moments and radii are in very good agreement with the available experimental data.

nucl-th↗

Electromagnetic Excitations and Responses in Nuclei from First Principles

We discuss the role of clustering on monopole, dipole, and quadrupole excitations in nuclei in the framework of the ab initio symmetry-adapted no-core shell model (SA-NCSM). The SA-NCSM starts from nucleon-nucleon potentials and, by exploring symmetries known to dominate the nuclear dynamics, can reach nuclei up through the calcium region by accommodating ultra-large model spaces critical to descriptions of clustering and collectivity. The results are based on calculations of electromagnetic sum rules and discretized responses using the Lanczos algorithm, that can be used to determine response functions, and for 4He are benchmarked against exact solutions of the hyperspherical harmonics method. In particular, we focus on He, Be, and O isotopes, including giant resonances and monopole sum rules.

nucl-th↗

Electric dipole polarizability of $^{48}$Ca and implications for the neutron skin

The electric dipole strength distribution in Ca-48 between 5 and 25 MeV has been determined at RCNP, Osaka, from proton inelastic scattering experiments at forward angles. Combined with photoabsorption data at higher excitation energy, this enables for the first time the extraction of the electric dipole polarizability alpha_D(Ca-48) = 2.07(22) fm^3. Remarkably, the dipole response of Ca-48 is found to be very similar to that of Ca-40, consistent with a small neutron skin in Ca-48. The experimental results are in good agreement with ab initio calculations based on chiral effective field theory interactions and with state-of-the-art density-functional calculations, implying a neutron skin in Ca-48 of 0.14 - 0.20 fm.

nucl-ex↗

Electric dipole polarizability from first principles calculations

The electric dipole polarizability quantifies the low-energy behaviour of the dipole strength and is related to critical observables such as the radii of the proton and neutron distributions. Its computation is challenging because most of the dipole strength lies in the scattering continuum. In this paper we combine integral transforms with the coupled-cluster method and compute the dipole polarizability using bound-state techniques. Employing different interactions from chiral effective field theory, we confirm the strong correlation between the dipole polarizability and the charge radius, and study its dependence on three-nucleon forces. We find good agreement with data for the 4He, 40Ca, and 16O nuclei, and predict the dipole polarizability for the rare nucleus 22O.

nucl-th↗

Nuclear structure corrections to the Lamb shift in $μ^3$He$^+$ and $μ^3$H

Measuring the 2S-2P Lamb shift in a hydrogen-like muonic atom allows one to extract its nuclear charge radius with a high precision that is limited by the uncertainty in the nuclear structure corrections. The charge radius of the proton thus extracted was found to be 7-sigma away from the CODATA value, in what has become the yet unsolved "proton radius puzzle". Further experiments currently aim at the isotopes of hydrogen and helium: the precise extraction of their radii may provide a hint at the solution of the puzzle. We present the first ab initio calculation of nuclear structure corrections, including the nuclear polarization correction, to the 2S-2P transition in $μ^3$He$^+$ and $μ^3$H, and assess solid theoretical error bars. Our predictions reduce the uncertainty in the nuclear structure corrections to the level of a few percents and will be instrumental to the on-going $μ^3$He$^+$ experiment. We also support the mirror $μ\,^3$H system as a candidate for further probing of the nucleon polarizabilities and shedding more light on the puzzle.

nucl-th↗

Charge, neutron, and weak size of the atomic nucleus

What is the size of the atomic nucleus? This deceivably simple question is difficult to answer. While the electric charge distributions in atomic nuclei were measured accurately already half a century ago, our knowledge of the distribution of neutrons is still deficient. In addition to constraining the size of atomic nuclei, the neutron distribution also impacts the number of nuclei that can exist and the size of neutron stars. We present an ab initio calculation of the neutron distribution of the neutron-rich nucleus $^{48}$Ca. We show that the neutron skin (difference between radii of neutron and proton distributions) is significantly smaller than previously thought. We also make predictions for the electric dipole polarizability and the weak form factor; both quantities are currently targeted by precision measurements. Based on ab initio results for $^{48}$Ca, we provide a constraint on the size of a neutron star.

nucl-th↗

Giant and pigmy dipole resonances in 4He, 16,22O, and 40Ca from chiral nucleon-nucleon interactions

We combine the coupled-cluster method and the Lorentz integral transform for the computation of inelastic reactions into the continuum. We show that the bound-state-like equation characterizing the Lorentz integral transform method can be reformulated based on extensions of the coupled-cluster equation-of-motion method, and we discuss strategies for viable numerical solutions. Starting from a chiral nucleon-nucleon interaction at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order, we compute the giant dipole resonances of 4He, 16,22O and 40Ca, truncating the coupled-cluster equation-of-motion method at the two-particle-two-hole excitation level. Within this scheme, we find a low-lying E1 strength in the neutron-rich 22O nucleus, which compares fairly well with data from [Leistenschneider et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5442 (2001)]. We also compute the electric dipole polariziability in 40Ca. Deficiencies of the employed Hamiltonian lead to overbinding, too small charge radii and a too small electric dipole polarizability in 40Ca.

nucl-th↗

Effects of three-nucleon forces and two-body currents on Gamow-Teller strengths

We optimize chiral interactions at next-to-next-to leading order to observables in two- and three-nucleon systems, and compute Gamow-Teller transitions in carbon-14, oxygen-22 and oxygen-24 using consistent two-body currents. We compute spectra of the daughter nuclei nitrogen-14, fluorine-22 and fluorine-24 via an isospin-breaking coupled-cluster technique, with several predictions. The two-body currents reduce the Ikeda sum rule, corresponding to a quenching factor q^2 ~ 0.84-0.92 of the axial-vector coupling. The half life of carbon-14 depends on the energy of the first excited 1+ state, the three-nucleon force, and the two-body current.

nucl-th↗