Nuclear structure and elastic scattering observables obtained consistently with different NN interactions

TL;DR

This study compares three chiral effective theory-based nucleon-nucleon interactions by analyzing their predictions for nuclear structure and elastic scattering observables in light nuclei, revealing differences and insights into effective interactions.

Contribution

It provides a consistent comparison of structure and scattering predictions using different NN interactions at N2LO, linking microscopic interactions to observable phenomena.

Findings

Different NN interactions show varying predictions for ground state energies and radii.

Elastic scattering observables are sensitive to the choice of NN interaction.

Effective nucleon-nucleus interactions differ based on the underlying NN interaction.

Abstract

Nucleon-nucleon ($NN$) interactions based on chiral effective theories are commonly used in ab initio calculations of light nuclei. Here we present a study based on three different NN interactions (up to next-to-next-to-leading order) for which structure and elastic proton scattering observables are consistently calculated for $^4$He, $^{12}$C, and $^{16}$O. The interactions are compared at the two-body level in terms of Wolfenstein amplitudes, and their predictions for ground state energies, point-proton radii, and charge form factors, as well as proton elastic scattering observables in the leading-order spectator expansion in the energy range between 65 and 160 MeV projectile energy are presented. To gain further insight into differences visible in elastic scattering observables, we investigate the behavior of the calculated effective nucleon-nucleus interactions for the $^{12}$C nucleus based on the different $NN$ interactions.