Description of 158Er at ultrahigh spin in nuclear density functional theory

TL;DR

This study uses nuclear density functional theories to analyze ultra-high spin rotational bands in $^{158}$Er, revealing consistent theoretical results but highlighting uncertainties in experimental spin assignments and suggesting the potential for observing the highest-spin nuclear structure.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of relativistic and non-relativistic models for $^{158}$Er at ultra-high spins, addressing discrepancies with experimental data and proposing possible reinterpretations.

Findings

Theoretical models agree on many aspects of $^{158}$Er's high-spin behavior.

Experimental spin assignments may underestimate actual spins by significant margins.

If correct, the observed band could be the highest-spin nuclear structure ever recorded.

Abstract

Rotational bands in $^{158}$Er at ultra-high spin have been studied in the framework of relativistic and non-relativistic nuclear density functional theories. Consistent results are obtained across the theoretical models used but some puzzles remain when confronted with experiment. Namely, the many-body configurations which provide good description of experimental transition quadrupole moments and dynamic moments of inertia require substantial increase of the spins of observed bands as compared with experimental estimates, which are still subject to large uncertainties. If, however, the theoretical spins assignments turned out to be correct, the experimental band 1 in $^{158}$Er would be the highest-spin structure ever observed.