Triaxial deformation and the loss of the N = 28 shell gap

TL;DR

This study uses advanced nuclear modeling to explore how shell effects and deformation phenomena lead to the loss of the N=28 magic number near 42Si, revealing complex triaxial shapes and gradual erosion of magicity.

Contribution

It applies antisymmetrized molecular dynamics with generator coordinate method to systematically analyze nuclear deformation and shell erosion near 42Si, highlighting the gradual loss of N=28 magicity.

Findings

N=26 and N=30 isotones have triaxially deformed ground states

Shell effects induce various nuclear deformations

Magicity erosion occurs gradually without clear boundaries

Abstract

Background: Recent accumulation of experimental data is revealing the nuclear deformation in vicinity of 42Si. This requests systematic theoretical studies to clarify more specific aspects of nuclear deformation and its causes. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature and cause of the nuclear deformations and its relation to the loss of the neutron magic number N = 28 in vicinity of 42Si. Method: The framework of antisymmetrized molecular dynamics with Gogny D1S density functional has been applied. The model assumes no spatial symmetry and can describe triaxial deformation. It also incorporates with the configuration mixing by the generator coordinate method. Results: We show that the shell effects and the loss of the magicity induce various nuclear deformations. In particular, the N = 26 and N = 30 isotones have triaxially deformed ground states. We also note that the erosion of the N = 28 magicity gradually occurs and has no definite boundaries. Conclusion: The present calculation predicts various nuclear deformations in vicinity of 42Si and suggests that the inter-band electric transitions are good measure for it. We also remark that the magicity is lost without the single-particle level inversion in the oblate deformed nuclei such as 42Si.