Pygmy dipole resonance as a constraint on the neutron skin of heavy nuclei
- Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306 (United States)
The isotopic dependence of the isovector Pygmy dipole response in tin is studied within the framework of the relativistic random-phase approximation. Regarded as an oscillation of the neutron skin against the isospin-symmetric core, the pygmy dipole resonance may place important constraints on the neutron skin of heavy nuclei and, as a result, on the equation of state of neutron-rich matter. The present study centers around two questions. First, is there a strong correlation between the development of a neutron skin and the emergence of low-energy isovector dipole strength? Second, could one use the recently measured Pygmy dipole resonance in {sup 130}Sn and {sup 132}Sn to discriminate among theoretical models? For the first question we found that although a strong correlation between the neutron skin and the Pygmy dipole resonance exists, a mild anticorrelation develops beyond {sup 120}Sn. The answer to the second question suggests that models with overly large neutron skins--and thus stiff symmetry energies--are in conflict with experiment.
- OSTI ID:
- 20771451
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Vol. 73, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.73.044325; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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