Shell model description of the 14C dating beta decay with Brown-Rho-scaled NN interactions, Holt et al.

mbertoll — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:16:30 +0000

This is an older PRL editor’s pick from Oct. 2007. It is of particular interest that the mean-life of 14C is unexpectedly long for its initial and final state (J,T) values. Are there external interactions that could further affect the transition matrix?

Abstract:

“We present shell model calculations for the beta-decay of the 14C ground state to the 14N ground state, treating the states of the A=14 multiplet as two 0p holes in an 16O core. We employ low-momentum nucleon-nucleon (NN) interactions derived from the realistic Bonn-B potential and find that the Gamow-Teller matrix element is too large to describe the known lifetime. By using a modified version of this potential that incorporates the effects of Brown-Rho scaling medium modifications, we find that the GT matrix element vanishes for a nuclear density around 85% that of nuclear matter. We find that the splitting between the (J,T)=(1+,0) and (J,T)=(0+,1) states in 14N is improved using the medium-modified Bonn-B potential and that the transition strengths from excited states of 14C to the 14N ground state are compatible with recent experiments.”

arXiv:0710.0310v2 [nucl-th] [PDF]

De Ratio

Shell model description of the 14C dating beta decay with Brown-Rho-scaled NN interactions, Holt et al.

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