Deuteron-equivalent and phase-equivalent interactions within light nuclei

TL;DR

This paper introduces deuteron-equivalent transformations (DET-PETs) that modify nucleon-nucleon interactions without affecting bound state observables, significantly impacting scattering wave functions and nuclear binding energies.

Contribution

The paper proposes a new class of PETs, DET-PETs, that preserve all bound state observables and can alter off-shell properties and binding energies of light nuclei.

Findings

DET-PETs modify np scattering wave functions.

DET-PETs significantly change 3H and 4He binding energies.

Some DET-PETs alter the central and tensor components of NN interactions.

Abstract

Background: Phase-equivalent transformations (PETs) are well-known in quantum scattering and inverse scattering theory. PETs do not affect scattering phase shifts and bound state energies of two-body system but are conventionally supposed to modify two-body bound state observables such as the rms radius and electromagnetic moments. Purpose: In order to preserve all bound state observables, we propose a new particular case of PETs, a deuteron-equivalent transformation (DET-PET), which leaves unchanged not only scattering phase shifts and bound state (deuteron) binding energy but also the bound state wave function. Methods: The construction of DET-PET is discussed; equations defining the simplest DET-PETs are derived. We apply these simplest DET-PETs to the JISP16 $NN$ interaction and use the transformed $NN$ interactions in calculations of $^3$H and $^4$He binding energies in the No-core Full Configuration (NCFC) approach based on extrapolations of the No-core Shell Model (NCSM) basis space results to the infinite basis space. Results: We demonstrate the DET-PET modification of the $np$ scattering wave functions and study the DET-PET manifestation in the binding energies of $^3$H and $^4$He nuclei and their correlation (Tjon line). Conclusions: It is shown that some DET-PETs generate modifications of the central component while the others modify the tensor component of the $NN$ interaction. DET-PETs are able to modify significantly the $np$ scattering wave functions and hence the off-shell properties of the $NN$ interaction. DET-PETs give rise to significant changes in the binding energies of $^3$H (in the range of approximately 1.5 MeV) and $^4$He (in the range of more than 9 MeV) and are able to modify the correlation patterns of binding energies of these nuclei.