A beyond mean field analysis of the shape transition in the Neodymium isotopes

TL;DR

This paper uses a beyond mean field approach with Gogny interaction to analyze shape transitions in Neodymium isotopes, challenging previous interpretations of critical point behavior.

Contribution

It provides a detailed beyond mean field analysis of shape transitions in Neodymium isotopes, highlighting limitations and questioning the critical point interpretation.

Findings

Vibrator and rotor limits are well reproduced.

Transitional region is only qualitatively described.

Results do not support $^{150}$Nd as a critical point nucleus.

Abstract

The beyond mean field approximation combined with the Gogny interaction is used to analyze the spherical to prolate deformed shape transition in the Neodymium isotopic chain. The vibrator as well as the rotor limits are nicely reproduced while the transitional region is only qualitatively described probably due to the lack of triaxial correlations in the calculations. Our results do not support the interpretation of $^{150}$Nd as a critical point nucleus and question the interpretation of shape changes as nuclear shape phase transitions.