Self-Consistent HFB+QRPA Calculations for Selected Mo Isotopes

Nuclear reactions play a fundamental role in the universe, driving stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis for the formation of the elements, and in applied areas such as medical isotopes production. In aspect of nuclear astrophysics, Mo is an interesting element for studying its reactions because its isotopes are produced by a variety of nucleosynthetic processes. Nuclear reaction cross sections are a key to understand these processes. For example, neutron capture cross sections are necessary to simulate astrophysical processes such as the r-process and to better understand the production mechanisms for nuclei heavier than iron. Successful descriptions for this process require knowledge of nuclear structure of related nuclear states, and the transition mechanisms between ground and excited states. Many theoretical models have been developed for the successful description of structural properties of nuclei and their reaction. The new experimental radioactive ion beam facilities provide great opportunities for the exploration of the properties of exotic nuclei, far away from the β-stability line.

We have performed fully consistent calculations of excited states in both spherical and axially-deformed nuclei using the Quasi-particle Random Phase Approximation (QRPA) built on Hartree-Fock-Bololiubov (HFB) states with the Gogny D1M finite-range effective interaction, implemented in an axially-symmetric deformed harmonic-oscillator (HO) basis. We will present the ground-state nuclear shapes for the even-even molybdenum isotopes, from ⁸⁰Mo to ¹³⁰Mo. We will also discuss results for monopole, dipole, quadrupole and octupole responses and transition densities for selected spherical and deformed cases and compare with the experimental data.