Nonlocalized Clustering and Evolution of Cluster Structure in Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper discusses the THSR wave function's ability to describe both gas-like and localized cluster states in nuclei, revealing the evolution of nuclear cluster structures from shell-model to gas-like configurations.

Contribution

It introduces the container model based on the THSR wave function, explaining the nonlocalized cluster dynamics and the evolution of cluster structures in nuclei.

Findings

THSR wave function describes both gas-like and localized cluster states

Container model links shell-model and cluster states through size parameter

Application examples demonstrate the model's versatility

Abstract

We explain various facets of the THSR (Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-R\"opke) wave function. We first discuss the THSR wave function as a wave function of cluster-gas state, since the THSR wave function was originally introduced to elucidate the 3$\alpha$-condensate-like character of the Hoyle state ($0_2^+$ state) of $^{12}$C. We briefly review the cluster-model studies of the Hoyle state in 1970's in order to explain how there emerged the idea to assign the $\alpha$ condensate character to the Hoyle state. We then explain that the THSR wave function can describe very well also non-gaslike ordinary cluster states with spatial localization of clusters. This fact means that the dynamical motion of clusters is of nonlocalized nature just as in gas-like states of clusters and the localization of clusters is due to the inter-cluster Pauli principle which is against the close approach of two clusters. The nonlocalized cluster dynamics is formulated by the container model of cluster dynamics. The container model describes gas-like state and non-gaslike states as the solutions of the Hill-Wheeler equation with respect to the size parameter of THSR wave function which is just the size parameter of the container. When we notice that fact that the THSR wave function with the smallest value of size parameter is equivalent to the shell-model wave function, we see that the container model describes the evolution of cluster structure from the ground state with shell-model structure up to the gas-like cluster state via ordinary non-gaslike cluster states. For the description of various cluster structure, more generation of THSR wave function have been introduced and we review some typical examples with their actual applications.