Researchers Solve Decades-Old Puzzle in Nuclear Theory

Strategic Insights -

Puzzling anomaly in the charge radii of Ca isotopes has been puzzling nuclear theory for decades. According to a new study published in Physical Review C, researchers from Jilin University have finally found a self-consistent solution within the density functional theory without resorting to local parameter adjustment. By considering the intrinsic electromagnetic structure of nucleons and zero-point motions of nuclear shape, the researchers were able to reproduce the similar charge radii of 40Ca and 48Ca, as well as an inverted parabolic behavior between them.

Key Takeaways:

  • The researchers presented the first self-consistent solution to the puzzle within the density functional theory without resorting to local parameter adjustment.
  • The study considered the intrinsic electromagnetic structure of nucleons and zero-point motions of nuclear shape, which were often neglected in previous studies.
  • The effects of the finite size of the nucleon and quadrupole shape-fluctuation were found to play crucial roles in the description of the isotonic shift between the charge radii of Sn and Cd isotopes.
  • The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province, High-performance Computing Platform of Peking University, and the State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University.
  • The study included authors from Jilin University, including J. Li, H. H. Xie, Y. L. Yang, and P. W. Zhao.
  • The research was peer-reviewed and published in Physical Review C in 2025.

Statistics:

  • The study considered the charge radii of 40Ca and 48Ca, as well as the isotonic shift between the charge radii of Sn and Cd isotopes.
  • The researchers found that the effects of the finite size of the nucleon and quadrupole shape-fluctuation were significant, affects the isotonic shift between the charge radii of Sn and Cd isotopes.
  • The study was funded by a total of four organizations, with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) being a primary funder.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Study Findings from Jilin University Broaden Understanding of Physics (Charge Radii of Calcium Isotopes Within Relativistic Density Functional Theory: the Finite Size of the Nucleon and Quadrupole Shape-fluctuation Effects). Journal of Physics Research. November 4, 2025; p 5141.
  • Charge Radii of Calcium Isotopes Within Relativistic Density Functional Theory: the Finite Size of the Nucleon and Quadrupole Shape-fluctuation Effects. Physical Review C, 2025;112(2).