What the study found
The study found an early-time plateau during which the radius of a Gamow resonance, a type of nuclear resonance described in complex-energy terms, coincides with the real-energy radius that can be measured experimentally. It also found a nonmonotonic dependence of the complex radius on decay energy and a local increase of the charge radius across the threshold.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say this matters because nuclear radius is a fundamental structural observable, and radii in drip line nuclei are an active research area using radioactive ion beams. They also note that charge radii of proton-unbound nuclei, which are nuclei that cannot hold a proton, will soon be approached in laser spectroscopy.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used the complex-energy approach and direct time propagation to study the radius of a proton resonance. They focused on the radius of a proton-unbound system, where the size is ill defined in the standard stationary quantum-mechanical description.
What worked and what didn't
The approach identified an early-time plateau in which the Gamow resonance radius matched the real-energy radius. The study also demonstrated a nonmonotonic dependence of the complex radius on decay energy and a local increase of the charge radius across the threshold, described as a halolike enhancement.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations, numerical values, or the range of systems studied beyond proton resonances and proton-unbound nuclei. It also does not provide experimental data in the abstract, only the theoretical approach and the stated findings.
Key points
- An early-time plateau was identified where the Gamow resonance radius matches the experimentally accessible real-energy radius.
- The complex radius was found to depend nonmonotonically on decay energy.
- The charge radius was reported to increase locally across the threshold, described as a halolike enhancement.
- The study used the complex-energy approach and direct time propagation.
- The abstract frames the topic as relevant to radii in drip line nuclei and to upcoming laser spectroscopy of proton-unbound nuclei.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Proton resonance radii show an early-time plateau and threshold increase
- Authors:
- Y. R. Lin, S. M. Wang, W. Nazarewicz
- Institutions:
- Fudan University, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, Michigan State University
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-03
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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