ISOSPIN MIXING IN THE VICINITY OF THE N = Z LINE

Abstract

We present the isospin- and angular-momentum-projected nuclear density functional theory (DFT) and its applications to the isospin-breaking corrections to the superallowed β-decay rates in the vicinity of the N = Z line. A preliminary value obtained for the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa matrix element, |Vud| = 0.97463(24), agrees well with the recent estimate by Towner and Hardy [Phys. Rev.C77, 025501 (2008)]. We also discuss new opportunities to study the symmetry energy by using the isospin-projected DFT.