Neutron drip line in the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum: Oxygen to Calcium

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nuclear deformation influences the prediction of the neutron drip line for light elements using the deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum, highlighting the importance of deformation, pairing, and continuum effects.

Contribution

It applies the DRHBc theory with PC-PK1 to analyze deformation effects on the neutron drip line for Z=8 to 20, comparing results with spherical models and discussing shape evolution.

Findings

Deformation alters the predicted neutron drip line for Ne and Ar.

The change in drip line position depends on deformation evolution.

Deformation, pairing, and continuum effects are crucial for accurate predictions.

Abstract

The location of the neutron drip line, currently known for only the lightest elements, remains a fundamental question in nuclear physics. Its description is a challenge for microscopic nuclear energy density functionals, as it must take into account in a realistic way not only the nuclear potential, but also pairing correlations, deformation effects and coupling to the continuum. The recently developed deformed relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) aims to provide a unified description of even-even nuclei throughout the nuclear chart. Here, the DRHBc with the successful density functional PC-PK1 is used to investigate whether and how deformation influences the prediction for the neutron drip-line location for even-even nuclei with 8<=Z<=20, where many isotopes are predicted deformed. The results are compared with those based on the spherical relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogoliubov (RCHB) theory and discussed in terms of shape evolution and the variational principle. It is found that the Ne and Ar drip-line nuclei are different after the deformation effect is included. The direction of the change is not necessarily towards an extended drip line, but rather depends on the evolution of the degree of deformation towards the drip line. Deformation effects as well as pairing and continuum effects treated in a consistent way can affect critically the theoretical description of the neutron drip-line location.