Nuclear shape transitions and elastic magnetic electron scattering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how magnetic form factors from elastic electron scattering reveal nuclear shape transitions across isotopic and isotonic chains, combining theoretical models to predict observable signatures for future experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theoretical framework combining mean-field, cranking, and density fluctuation models to study magnetic form factors related to nuclear shape transitions.

Findings

Magnetic form factors show signatures of shape transitions.

Certain isotopic and isotonic chains are identified as ideal candidates.

Predictions support future electron scattering experiments with radioactive beams.

Abstract

Backward elastic electron scattering from odd-A nuclear targets is characterized by magnetic form factors containing precise information on the nuclear structure. We study the sensitivity of the magnetic form factors to structural effects related to the evolution and shape transitions in both isotopic and isotonic chains. Calculations of magnetic form factors are performed in the plane-wave Born approximation. The nuclear structure is obtained from a deformed self-consistent mean-field calculation based on a Skyrme HF+BCS formalism. Collective effects are included in the cranking approximation, whereas nucleon-nucleon correlations are taken into account in the coherent density fluctuation model. The evolution of the magnetic form factors is found to exhibit signatures of shape transitions that show up in selected isotopic and isotonic chains involving both stable and unstable nuclei. Several cases are identified as suitable candidates for showing such fingerprints of shape transitions. A new generation of electron scattering experiments involving electron-radioactive beam colliders will be available in the near future, leading to a renewed interest in this field.