Robust correlation between binding energies and charge radii of mirror nuclei

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new correlation between binding energies and charge radii of mirror nuclei, enabling accurate predictions of nuclear properties, which are validated against experimental data and could reveal local structural anomalies.

Contribution

The study proposes a novel correlation based on charge density models that allows reliable predictions of nuclear masses and charge radii for proton-rich nuclei.

Findings

Predicted binding energies and charge radii closely match experimental data.

Discrepancies highlight the role of charge density asymmetry in mirror nuclei.

The correlation serves as a probe for nuclear structural anomalies.

Abstract

Using the charge density from the two-parameter Fermi model, a robust and nontrival correlation between binding energis and charge radii of mirror nuclei is newly proposed. This correlation enables simple yet reliable predictions of the nuclear mass and charge radius of proton-rich nuclei. The validity of these predictions is demonstrated by comparing the predicted binding energies and charge radii with experimental data and predictions from other models. All 197 predicted binding energies and 199 charge radii involved in the comparisons are tabulated in the Supplemental Materials of this paper. The noticeable discrepancies are attributed to the large asymmetry in charge densities of mirror nuclei, suggesting that the proposed correlation could be a sensitive probe for local structural anomaly, such as shell closure and proton halo. The difference in mass dependence of charge radii near the proton dripline compared to those along the $\beta$-stability line supports the validity of our prediction method.