alpha clustering and neutron-skin thickness of carbon isotopes

TL;DR

This paper investigates how neutron-skin thickness affects alpha clustering in carbon isotopes, revealing that increased neutron skin correlates with suppressed alpha clustering at the nuclear surface.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of the relationship between neutron-skin thickness and alpha clustering in carbon isotopes using antisymmetrized molecular dynamics.

Findings

Alpha spectroscopic factor decreases in neutron-rich C isotopes

Clustering suppression correlates with neutron-skin growth

Supports theoretical prediction of neutron-skin inhibiting alpha clustering

Abstract

The interplay between the formation of neutron skin and alpha cluster at the dilute surface of neutron-rich nuclei is one of the interesting subjects in the study of neutron-rich nuclei and nuclear clustering. A theoretical model has predicted that the growth of neutron skin will prevent the alpha clustering at the nuclear surface. Quite recently, this theoretical perspective; the suppression of alpha clustering by the neutron-skin formation was first confirmed experimentally in Sn isotopes as the reduction of the (p, p alpha) reaction cross-section. Motivated by the novel discovery, in this work, we have investigated the relationship between the neutron-skin thickness and alpha clustering in C isotopes. Based on the analysis by the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics, we show that the alpha spectroscopic factor at nuclear exterior decreases in neutron-rich C isotopes, and the clustering suppression looks correlated with the growth of the neutron-skin thickness.