Charge radii and structural evolution in Sr, Zr, and Mo isotopes

TL;DR

This paper investigates the evolution of nuclear shapes in neutron-rich Sr, Zr, and Mo isotopes using a self-consistent mean-field approach, revealing correlations between shape transitions and observable discontinuities.

Contribution

It provides a microscopic analysis of shape transitions and their impact on charge radii and separation energies in these isotopes, highlighting differences among elements.

Findings

Shape transitions correlate with discontinuities in charge radii and separation energies.

Sr and Zr isotopes exhibit sharp prolate-oblate transitions affecting charge radii.

Mo isotopes show smooth behavior due to triaxiality emergence.

Abstract

The evolution of the ground-state nuclear shapes in neutron-rich Sr, Zr, and Mo isotopes, including both even-even and odd-A nuclei, is studied within a self-consistent mean-field approximation based on the D1S Gogny interaction. Neutron separation energies and charge radii are calculated and compared with available data. A correlation between a shape transition and a discontinuity in those observables is found microscopically. While in Sr and Zr isotopes the steep behavior observed in the isotopic dependence of the charge radii is a consequence of a sharp prolate-oblate transition, the smooth behavior found in Mo isotopes has its origin in an emergent region of triaxiality.