Reliable calculations of nuclear binding energies by the Gaussian process of machine learning

Reliable calculations of nuclear binding energies are crucial for advancing the research of nuclear physics. Machine learning provides an innovative approach to exploring complex physical problems. In this study, the nuclear binding energies are modeled directly using a machine-learning method called the Gaussian process. First, the binding energies for 2238 nuclei with Z > 20 and N > 20 are calculated using the Gaussian process in a physically motivated feature space, yielding an average deviation of 0.046 MeV and a standard deviation of 0.066 MeV. The results show the good learning ability of the Gaussian process in the studies of binding energies. Then, the predictive power of the Gaussian process is studied by calculating the binding energies for 108 nuclei newly included in AME2020. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental data, reflecting the good predictive power of the Gaussian process. Moreover, the α-decay energies for 1169 nuclei with 50 ≤ Z ≤ 110 are derived from the theoretical binding energies calculated using the Gaussian process. The average deviation and the standard deviation are, respectively, 0.047 MeV and 0.070 MeV. Noticeably, the calculated α-decay energies for the two new isotopes ^ (204 )Ac(Huang et al. Phys Lett B 834, 137484(2022)) and ^ (207) Th(Yang et al. Phys Rev C 105, L051302(2022)) agree well with the latest experimental data. These results demonstrate that the Gaussian process is reliable for the calculations of nuclear binding energies. Finally, the α-decay properties of some unknown actinide nuclei are predicted using the Gaussian process. The predicted results can be useful guides for future research on binding energies and α-decay properties.

Exploring the sensitivity of α-decay half-life to neutron skin thickness for nuclei around ^(208)Pb

Based on the newest experimentally extracted nuclear density distributions for double-magic nucleus208Pb(Tarbert et al. in Phys Rev Lett 112:242502, 2014),the sensitivity of α-decay half-life to nuclear skin thickness is explored in the vicinity of the shell closure region around208 Pb, i.e., isotopes of Z ? 82 and isotones of N ? 126.With the two-parameter Fermi(2PF) density distributions and an analytically derived formula, the α-decay half-life is found to be closely related to the magnitude of nuclear skin thickness. For a decays to the Z ? 82 isotopes, the α-decay half-life is found to decrease with the increasing neutron skin thickness, while the opposite behavior is found for a decays to the N ? 126 isotones. Therefore, it could be a possible way to extract the nuclear skin thickness from measured α-decay half-lives.

Studies of the radiation environment on the Mars surface using the Geant4 toolkit

The radiation environment on the surface of Mars is a potential threat for future manned exploration missions to this planet.In this study,a simple geometrical model was built for simulating the radiation environment on the Mars surface caused by galactic cosmic rays;the model was built and studied using the Geant4 toolkit.The simulation results were compared with the data reported by a radiation assessment detector(RAD).The simulated spectra of neutrons,photons,protons,α particles,and particle groups Z=3-5,Z=6-8,Z=9-13,and Z=14-24 were in a reasonable agreement with the RAD data.However,for deuterons,tritons,and 3He,the simulations yielded much smaller values than for the corresponding RAD data.In addition,the particles’spectra within the 90 zenith angle were also obtained.Based on these spectra,we calculated the radiation dose that would have been received by an average human body on Mars.The distribution of the dose throughout the human body was not uniform.The absorbed and equivalent doses for the brain were the highest among all of the organs,reaching 62.0±1.7 mGy/y and 234.1±8.0 mSv/y,respectively.The average absorbed and equivalent doses for the entire body were approximately 44 mGy/y and 153 mSv/y,respectively.Further analysis revealed that most of the radiation dose was owing to a particles,protons,and heavy ions.We then studied the shielding effect of the Mars soil with respect to the radiation.The body dose decreased significantly with increasing soil depth.At the depth of 1.5 m,the effective dose for the entire body was 17.9±2.4 mSv/y,lower than the dose limit for occupational exposure.At the depth of 3 m,the effective dose to the body was 2.7±1.0 mSv/y,still higher than the accepted dose limit.

Systematics of a-preformation factors in closed-shell regions

The a-preformation factors of medium and heavy-mass nuclei are calculated by using the cluster-formation model.The obtained preformation factors of even–even,odd-A,and odd–odd nuclei consist in both magnitude and trend with the general features predicted by standard calculations.The variation of a clustering affected by the evolution of nuclear structure is observed from different behaviors of preformation factors.We typically analyze the variation of preformation factors in the closed-shell N =126 and Z =82 regions,and discuss in detail the structural effects on a-cluster formation.This work shows the strong correlation between a-preformation factors and the shell structure,which would be a useful reference for microscopic cluster-model calculations of a-decay half-lives.

a-Decay half-life screened by electrons

In this paper,by considering the electrons in different external environments,including neutral atoms,a metal,and an extremely strong magnetic-field environment,the screened a-decay half-lives of the a emitters with proton number Z = 52–105 are systematically calculated.In the external environment,the decay energy and the interaction potential between a particle and daughter nucleus are both changed due to the electron screening effect and their variations are both very important for the electron screening effect.Besides,the electron screening effect is found to be closely related to the decay energy and its proton number.

Two New Hyperon Coupling Models in the Light of the Massive Neutron Star PSR J0348+0432

In the context of the relativistic mean field theory,we propose two new hyperon coupling models,namely the limitation model and the potential well depth model,in the light of the observed data for the massive neutron PSR J0348+0432.The radius of PSR J0348+0432 given by the limitation model is found to be 12.52 km^12.97 km,while the radius given by the potential well depth model is found to be 12.19 km^12.89 km.We also calculate the gravitational redshift of PSR J0348+0432 within these two models,for which the limitation model gives 0.346~0.391 and the potential well depth model gives 0.350~0.409.Further exploration of these two models shows that,these two models are almost degenerate for neutron stars lighter than 1.85 M⊙,and start to give different results for massive neutron stars heavier than 1.85 M⊙.Therefore,the studies of massive neutron stars could be crucial for discriminating these two models and help deepen our understanding of hyper-nuclear interactions.

α Decays in Superstrong Static Electric Fields

Superstrong static electric fields could deform Coulomb barriers between α clusters and daughter nuclei,and bring up the possibility of speeding up α decays. We adopt a simplified model for the spherical α emitter^(212)Po and study its responses to superstrong static electric fields. We find that superstrong electric fields with field strengths|E|～0.1 MV/fm could turn the angular distribution of α emissions from isotropic to strongly anisotropic, and speed upα decays by more than one order of magnitude. We also study the influences of superstrong electric fields along the Po isotope chains, and discuss the implications of our studies on α decays in superstrong monochromatic laser fields. The study here might be helpful for future theoretical studies of α decay in realistic superstrong laser fields.

The contribution of the first forbidden transitions to the nuclear β^--decay half-life

β-decay half-life is a key quantity for nuclear structure and nucleosynthesis studies.There exist large uncertainties in the contributions of allowed and forbidden transitions to the totalβ-decay life,which limits the resolution of the predictedβ-decay half-life.We systematically study the contribution of the first forbidden(FF)transitions to theβ--decay half-life,and quantify it with a formula based on simple physics considerations.We also propose a new formula for calculation of theβ--decay half-life that includes the FF contribution.It is shown that the inclusion of the contribution of FF transitions significantly improves the precision of calculations of theβ--decay half-life.By fitting of the RQRPA results for neutron-rich Z=47,57 isotopes and N=80,94 isotones,the formula for the contribution of the FF transitions gives similar results as the RQRPA calculations.However,because of limited experimental data for the branching ratios of unstable nuclei,the fit parameters are not fully constrained.Therefore,the proposed formula for theβ--decay half-life is more suitable for calculations of half-lives than of the FF contributions.The formula could be used to predict theβ?-decay half-life in nuclear structure studies as well as nucleosynthesis calculations in stars.