Neutron-rich nuclei and neutron skins from chiral low-resolution interactions

TL;DR

This paper develops new chiral low-resolution nuclear interactions to accurately describe properties of neutron-rich nuclei, providing insights into neutron skins and nuclear forces across a wide range of nuclei.

Contribution

Introduction of novel chiral low-resolution interactions that reliably model bulk properties and neutron skins of neutron-rich nuclei from oxygen to lead.

Findings

Neutron skins are narrowly predicted across all studied nuclei.

Results show sensitivities in neutron skins for extreme, unexplored cases.

Interactions accurately describe bulk properties from $^{16}$O to $^{208}$Pb.

Abstract

Neutron-rich nuclei provide important insights to nuclear forces and to the nuclear equation of state. Advances in ab initio methods combined with new opportunities with rare isotope beams enable unique explorations of their properties based on nuclear forces applicable over the entire nuclear chart. In this Letter, we develop novel chiral low-resolution interactions that accurately describe bulk properties from $^{16}$O to $^{208}$Pb. With these, we investigate density distributions and neutron skins of neutron-rich nuclei. Our results show that neutron skins are narrowly predicted over all nuclei with interesting sensitivities for the most extreme, experimentally unexplored cases.