Bulk Properties of Nuclear Systems and 3-Nucleon Forces

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Herbert Müther
• Subject Area: Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Relativity, Fields
• Term: from 2015 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270796327

A basic aim of theoretical nuclear structure physics is the attempt to describe the basic properties of nuclear systems (energy and saturation density of nuclear matter as well as energy and radius of finite nuclei) in terms of realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction, fitted to reproduce the NN scattering data. This aim can only be achieved if either relativistic effects of the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach, which allow for a medium dependence of the nucleon Dirac spinors, are taken into account, or if one allows for 3-nucleon forces within modern chiral field theory description of the nuclear interaction. One aim of this project is a systematic comparison of these 2 approaches in infinte nuclear matter as well as finite nuclei. This will allow to identify the specific consequences of the surface in finite nuclei, which is important for the identification of the nuclear equation of state. This equation of state is an important ingredient of simulation of astrophysical objects (supernovae, neutron stars, sources of gravitational waves). Special attention will be paid to the role of pairing correlation between protons and neutrons. Solution of the corresponding BCS equation in infinite nuclear matter predict a large gap, while no signal of such pairing phenomena are observed in finite nuclei. To achieve the goals of this project it is planned to develop a new technique for the solution of 2- and 3-particle equations in the nuclear medium and to test a new approach, describing the properties of finite nuclei on the basis of results obtained for infinite matter.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Russia, Spain
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Vladimir Kukulin; Professor Artur Polls