Excellence in Research: Yakubovsky Calculations for Six-Nucleon Bound States

Central State University, Wilberforce OH

Investigators

Abstract

Understanding the structure and properties of the atomic nucleus, which is about 100,000 times smaller than the atom it lives inside, and the fundamental forces between the protons and neutrons that constitute the nucleus, has been made possible by quantum theory. In quantum mechanics, this information can be acquired by solving the Schroedinger Equation, which describes the properties of the physical system. This equation describes how protons and neutrons are confined inside a nucleus by the Strong Nuclear Force. This project will allow the development of sophisticated computer algorithms and programs in a parallel environment to solve the Schroedinger Equation for Helium-6 and Lithium-6 nuclei. These are each light nuclei consisting of six nucleons. The PI will mentor undergraduate STEM students at the Central State University (CSU), a historically black college. The students will gain practical skills in parallel programming and high-performance computing, while gaining confidence in using computational physics to study the structure of atomic nuclei. CSU students will learn the critical skills of computer programming and numerical methods by participating in this project, thereby increasing their qualifications for the STEM workforce or advanced degrees. The Schroedinger Equation is often solved to benchmark and develop nucleon-nucleon interaction models in nuclear physics. Although the study of a six-nucleon bound state is computationally a challenging and expensive problem, its investigation provides insights into the rich structure of nuclear interactions. The main goal of this project is the numerical solution of the Schroedinger Equation in the Faddeev-Yakubovsky form in momentum space to calculate the six-nucleon binding energy and wave function. This project aims to implement the numerical solution of six-nucleon Yakubovsky equations in a partial wave decomposition by developing the relevant parallel computer algorithms and codes. This investigation will show how the full solution of coupled Faddeev-Yakubovsky integral equations in a complete six-body treatment can probe the modern two- and three-nucleon interactions. It also provides an in-depth insight into the halo structure of He-6 and also the ground state properties of Li-6. This project has potential broader impacts beyond nuclear physics. The existence of six-body bound systems in other areas of physics, ranging from atomic physics (exploration of Efimov physics in ultracold quantum gases) to particle physics (dibaryon resonance composed of six quarks), brings a broader application of the project and its outcomes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.