Anatoli Afanasjev, Mississippi State University
Recent Advances in Covariant Density Functional Theory
Argonne Physics Division Seminar - 26 Apr 2010

Covariant density functional (CDFT) theory is a well established theoretical tool for the description of nuclear systems. However, there are still a considerable number of important problems which have not been either addressed or resolved within its framework. In my talk, I will concentrate on two of them, namely, physics of time-odd mean fields and the description of fission barriers.

Time-odd mean fields are related to nuclear magnetism in CDFT. They arise from space-like components of vector mesons and Lorentz invariance requires that their coupling strengths are identical to that of time-like components. We performed a systematic investigation of these fields in non-rotating and rotating systems. The physics of these fields and physical observables strongly affected by them will be discussed in detail.

The fission barriers play an important role in the physics of heavy and superheavy nuclei; they are intimately connected with the existence and stability of superheavy nuclei. The impact of treatment of pairing on the fission barriers has been investigated and new results were obtained for actinides and superheavy nuclei. In addition, a systematic study of the impact of triaxiality on the fission barrier height has been performed; in many cases it substantially decreases the fission barrier bringing it in close agreement with experiment.

ANL Physics Division Seminar Schedule