Constraining nuclear symmetry energy with the charge radii of mirror-pair nuclei

TL;DR

This study uses charge radii differences of mirror nuclei to constrain the nuclear symmetry energy and its slope parameter, providing refined ranges for these quantities relevant to nuclear matter properties.

Contribution

It introduces a method to constrain the symmetry energy and its slope using mirror-pair nuclei charge radii, combining relativistic and non-relativistic energy density functionals.

Findings

Nuclear symmetry energy constrained to 29.89-31.85 MeV.

Slope parameter L ranges from 22.50 to 51.55 MeV.

Extracted L_s at 0.10 fm^{-3} density is 30.52-39.76 MeV.

Abstract

The nuclear charge radius plays a vital role in determining the equation of state of isospin asymmetric nuclear matter. Based on the correlation between the differences in charge radii of mirror-partner nuclei and the slope parameter ($L$) of symmetry energy at the nuclear saturation density, an analysis of the calibrated slope parameter $L$ was performed in finite nuclei. In this study, relativistic and non-relativistic energy density functionals were employed to constrain the nuclear symmetry energy through the available databases of the mirror-pair nuclei $^{36}$Ca-$^{36}$S, $^{38}$Ca-$^{38}$Ar, and $^{54}$Ni-$^{54}$Fe. The deduced nuclear symmetry energy was located in the range 29.89-31.85 MeV, and $L$ of the symmetry energy essentially covered the range 22.50-51.55 MeV at the saturation density. Moreover, the extracted $L_s$ at the sensitivity density $\rho_{s}=0.10~\mathrm{fm}^{-3}$ was located in the interval range 30.52-39.76 MeV.