Systematics of E2 strength in the sd-shell with the valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group

TL;DR

This study systematically evaluates the underprediction of electric quadrupole (E2) strength in medium-mass nuclei using the VS-IMSRG method, finding the deficiency is largely independent of isospin and likely due to missing many-particle excitations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the isospin dependence of E2 strength underprediction in VS-IMSRG calculations, highlighting the role of many-particle, many-hole excitations.

Findings

E2 strength deficiency is consistent across different isospin states.

No significant isovector contribution to the missing E2 strength.

Missing strength likely due to missing many-particle, many-hole excitations.

Abstract

Background: Recent developments in {\it ab initio} nuclear theory demonstrate promising results in medium- to heavy-mass nuclei. A particular challenge for many of the many-body methodologies, however, is an accurate treatment of the electric-quadrupole, $E2$, strength associated with collectivity. Purpose: The valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group (VS-IMSRG) is a particularly powerful method for accessing medium- and high-mass nuclei but has been found to underpredict $E2$ strengths. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the isospin dependence of this underprediction. Methods: We perform a systematic comparison of valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group (VS-IMSRG) calculations with available literature. We make use of isoscalar and isovector contributions to the $E2$ matrix elements to assess isoscalar and isovector contributions to the missing strength. Results: It is found that the $E2$ strength is consistent throughout $T_z=\left|\frac{1}{2}\right|$, $T_z=\left|1\right|$, $T_z=\left|\frac{3}{2}\right|$ and $T_z=2$ pairs within the $sd$-shell. Furthermore, no isovector contribution to the deficiency is identified. Conclusions: A comparison with toy-models and coupled-cluster calculations is used to discuss potential origins of the missing strength, which arises from missing many-particle, many-hole excitations out of the model space. The absence of any significant isovector contribution to the missing $E2$ strength indicates that the $E2$ strength discrepancy, and therefore any correction, is largely independent of the isospin of the nuclei in question.