Proton-skins in momentum space and neutron-skins in coordinate space in heavy nuclei

TL;DR

This paper predicts the coexistence of neutron-skins in coordinate space and proton-skins in momentum space in heavy nuclei, analyzing their correlation through an extended Thomas-Fermi model considering nucleon correlations.

Contribution

It introduces an extended Thomas-Fermi model incorporating nucleon correlations to analyze the correlation between neutron-skins and proton-skins in heavy nuclei.

Findings

Protons move faster than neutrons in neutron-skins of heavy nuclei.

Neutron-skins in coordinate space coexist with proton-skins in momentum space.

Correlation governed by Liouville's theorem and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.

Abstract

Neutron-skins in coordinate space and proton-skins in momentum space are predicted to coexist in heavy nuclei and their correlation is governed by Liouville's theorem and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. An analysis of their correlation within a further extended Thomas-Fermi (ETF$^+$) approximation incorporating effects of nucleon short-range correlations reveals generally that protons move faster than neutrons in neutron-skins of heavy nuclei.