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Title Evidence of a sudden increase in the nuclear size of proton-rich silver-96
Author(s) Reponen, M (Jyvaskyla U.) ; de Groote, R P (Jyvaskyla U.) ; Al Ayoubi, L (Jyvaskyla U. ; IJCLab, Orsay) ; Beliuskina, O (Jyvaskyla U.) ; Bissell, M L (Manchester U.) ; Campbell, P (Manchester U.) ; Cañete, L (Surrey U.) ; Cheal, B (Liverpool U.) ; Chrysalidis, K (CERN) ; Delafosse, C (Jyvaskyla U. ; IJCLab, Orsay) Mostrar todos os 28 autores
Publication 2021
Number of pages 8
In: Nature Commun. 12 (2021) 4596
DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-24888-x
Subject category Nuclear Physics - Experiment
Abstract Understanding the evolution of the nuclear charge radius is one of the long-standing challenges for nuclear theory. Recently, density functional theory calculations utilizing Fayans functionals have successfully reproduced the charge radii of a variety of exotic isotopes. However, difficulties in the isotope production have hindered testing these models in the immediate region of the nuclear chart below the heaviest self-conjugate doubly-magic nucleus 100Sn, where the near-equal number of protons (Z) and neutrons (N) lead to enhanced neutron-proton pairing. Here, we present an optical excursion into this region by crossing the N=50 magic neutron number in the silver isotopic chain with the measurement of the charge radius of 96Ag (N=49). The results provide a challenge for nuclear theory: calculations are unable to reproduce the pronounced discontinuity in the charge radii as one moves below N=50. The technical advancements in this work open the N=Z region below 100Sn for further optical studies, which will lead to more comprehensive input for nuclear theory development.
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 Record created 2021-09-20, last modified 2021-09-20


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