Ab initio study of Z(N) = 6 magicity

TL;DR

This study uses ab initio calculations to investigate the magicity of Z(N)=6 in nuclei, finding no support for it as a magic number except in specific isotopes like 14C and 14O, which show double-magic features.

Contribution

The paper provides the first ab initio analysis of Z(N)=6 magicity, challenging previous assumptions and identifying specific isotopes with double-magic characteristics.

Findings

Z(N)=6 is not supported as a magic number across atomic numbers

14C and 14O exhibit double-magic nucleus features

Ab initio calculations align with experimental observations

Abstract

The existence of magic numbers of protons and neutrons in nuclei is essential for understanding nuclear structure and fundamental nuclear forces. Over decades, researchers have conducted theoretical and experimental studies on the new magic number Z(N) = 6, focusing on observables such as radii, binding energy, electromagnetic transition, and nucleon separation energies. We perform the ab initio no-core shell model calculations for the occupation numbers of the lowest single particle states in the ground states of Z(N) = 6 and Z(N) = 8 isotopes (isotones). Our calculations do not support Z(N) = 6 as a magic number over a span of atomic numbers. However, 14C and 14O exhibit the characteristics of double-magic nuclei.