Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Physics, Nuclear, Physics, HYPERFINE-STRUCTURE CONSTANTS, NUCLEAR-QUADRUPOLE MOMENTS, SHELL-MODEL, MAGNETIC-MOMENTS, SHIFTS, LASER, POTASSIUM, 3D, nucl-ex, nucl-th, 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics, Nuclear & Particles Physics, 5106 Nuclear and plasma physics

Abstract:

Background: The neutron-rich calcium isotopes have gained particular interest as evidence of closed-shell structures has recently been found in two exotic nuclei, at N = 32 and N = 34. Additionally, the study of such neutron-rich systems has revealed new aspects of nuclear forces, in particular regarding the role of three-nucleon forces. Purpose: We study the electromagnetic properties of Ca isotopes around the neutron number N = 32. Methods: High-resolution bunched-beam collinear laser spectroscopy was used to measure the optical hyperfine spectra of the 43−51Ca isotopes. Results: The ground-state magnetic moments of 49,51Ca and quadrupole moments of 47,49,51Ca were measured for the first time, and the 51Ca ground-state spin I = 3/2 was determined in a model-independent way. Our experimental results are compared with state-of-the-art shell-model calculations using both phenomenological interactions and microscopic interactions derived from chiral effective field theory. Conclusions: The results for the ground-state moments of neutron-rich isotopes are in excellent agreement with predictions of interactions derived from chiral effective field theory including three-nucleon forces. Lighter isotopes illustrate the presence of particle-hole excitations of the 40Ca core in their ground state. Our results provide a critical test of modern nuclear theories, and give direct answer to the evolution of ground-state electromagnetic properties in the Ca isotopic chain across three doubly closed-shell configurations at N = 20, 28, 32 of this unique system.