Symmetries and deformations in the spherical shell model

TL;DR

This paper explores symmetries in the spherical shell model, particularly SU(3) and octupole symmetries, demonstrating their connection to the geometric collective model and extending the understanding of nuclear deformation.

Contribution

It introduces an octupole symmetry in the spherical shell model and shows its convergence to the geometric collective model in large oscillator shells.

Findings

SU(3) symmetry links spherical shell and geometric collective models

Octupole interaction induces deformation analogous to geometric model

Large N limit aligns algebraic octupole with geometric collective behavior

Abstract

We discuss symmetries of the spherical shell model that make contact with the geometric collective model of Bohr and Mottelson. The most celebrated symmetry of this kind is SU(3), which is the basis of Elliott's model of rotation. It corresponds to a deformed mean field induced by a quadrupole interaction in a single major oscillator shell N and can be generalized to include several major shells. As such, Elliott's SU(3) model establishes the link between the spherical shell model and the (quadrupole component of the) geometric collective model. We introduce the analogue symmetry induced by an octupole interaction in two major oscillator shells N-1 and N, leading to an octupole-deformed solution of the spherical shell model. We show that in the limit of large oscillator shells (large N) the algebraic octupole interaction tends to that of the geometric collective model.