Quantum binding energies in the Skyrme model

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum effects, specifically vibrational zero-point energies, in the Skyrme model to address the overestimated binding energies of skyrmions, achieving more realistic nuclear binding energies for small nuclei.

Contribution

It demonstrates that including vibrational quantum corrections can significantly reduce skyrmion binding energies, aligning them with experimental data.

Findings

Quantum vibrational corrections cancel classical binding energies

Results are physically reasonable for nuclei with N=1-8

Zero-point energies help reconcile model with observed nuclear binding energies

Abstract

A major problem in the Skyrme model is that the binding energy of skyrmions, which model nuclei, is too high by an order of magnitude. We show that the most popular solution to this problem, to construct models with zero classical binding energy, still produces large binding energies when spin energy is included. We argue that it is thus necessary to include quantum effects. We calculate the binding energy of skyrmions including the most simple quantum correction, that of vibrational modes in a harmonic approximation. We show that this can give physically reasonable results for nucleon numbers N=1-8 thanks to a remarkable cancellation between the strongly binding classical energy and the strongly unbinding zero-point energy from vibrational modes.