QRPA Methods Research Articles

Several QRPA method calculations of the Gamow–Teller strength distributions in $$^{62{-}72}$$Ge

Studies of exotic nuclei are currently one of the most prolific in nuclear physics. Weak rates in germanium isotopes have a fundamental role in the dynamics of supernovae. Electron capture and beta-decay of germanium isotopes, specified by Gamow–Teller transitions, importantly modify the lepton fraction of the stellar matter. In this study, Gamow–Teller Transitions (GT) for $$^{62{-}72}$$ Ge are calculated using QRPA methods. The GT strength distributions are calculated using eight different QRPA models. QRPA models, namely single quasi-particle (sqp), Pyatov method (PM) and the schematic model (SM), are further divided into four subcategories. Using these models, Gamow–Teller distribution, total GT strengths along electron capture direction ( $$\sum $$ B(GT) $$_+$$ ) and Ikeda sum rule are calculated. The results of sqp, PM, and SM are also compared with previous theoretical calculations and measured strength distributions wherever available. It is expected that this study of GT properties would gain favor and may help to a better understanding of the presupernova evolution of massive stars.

Effect of deformation, particle-hole and particle-particle interaction on Gamow-Teller transitions of 76Ge

Gamow-Teller (GT) transitions for 76Ge using QRPA methods in this article are calculated, which play an essential role in the supernovae. Three different QRPA models are used to the GT strength distributions. QRPA models namely single quasi-particle (sqp), Pyatov Method (PM) and the Schematic Model (SM). Gamow-Teller distribution, ΣB(GT)-, the centroid of energy, the width of energy and ISR are calculated by using these models. The effect of particle-particle interaction on spherical nuclei and deformed nuclei on Gamow-Teller transitions is wanted to show. Deformed Woods-Saxon potential is used in calculations of Single-particle energies and wave functions. The results are also compared with previous theoretical calculations and measured strength distributions wherever available. It is expected that the current study of GT features would be helpful and may guide to a better knowledge of the presupernova progression of massive stars.

Development and evaluation of a time-saving RT-qRPA method for the detection of genotype 4 HEV presence in raw pork liver

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen spreading worldwide. Pig was known as its first and main animal reservoir. In China, pork consumption is very large and the risk of potential HEV contamination should not be underestimated. The present study aims to develop a quantitative real-time reverse transcription combining recombinase polymerase amplification assay (RT-qRPA) for the rapid detection of HEV RNA presence in raw pork liver on the Jinzhou markets in China. Methods: the specific primers and probes for RT-qRPA assay were designed targeting the ORF2/3 conserved region in genotype 4 swine HEV isolate (accession no. DQ279091.2) according to the TwistDx manual instructions. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility evaluations of the RT-qRPA method were subsequently conducted in assessing agreement with the standard RT-qPCR method. Results: the qRPA method step exhibited the obvious time-saving advantage which worked under the isothermal condition at 39 °C within about 30 min to complete the run while the compared standard qPCR method in the same cycle took almost 60 min to do. Both methods could exclusively detect the HEV genome equivalents from the quantified HEV-VLPs spiked samples. And both methods shared the same limit of detection (LOD) that was estimated at 1.25 × 103 genome equivalents copies/g spiked sample by the probit analysis. The recovery rate of HEV-VLPs reached a range of 9.56–14.65% by the RT-qRPA method which was higher than that of 1.34–2.34% by the standard RT-qPCR method. The detected HEV RNA positive rate in the field was 1.8% (1 out of 55) by both methods under Cohen's kappa statistic accessing with perfect agreement (κ = 1.00, p < 0.0005). The viral load in positive sample detected by the RT-qRPA method was estimated at 2.2125 × 105 genome copies/g pork liver sample.Conclusions, the present reported RT-qRPA method mainly targeting genotype 4 HEV is a rapid and reliable method. Its time-saving quality offers a promising for the development of a portable tool used in the routine monitoring of HEV contamination in the field.

Rapid isothermal duplex real-time recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a severe disease of horses caused by the tick-borne protozoa Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi). Infectious carriers are not always symptomatic, meaning there is a risk to non-enzootic areas. Regulatory tests for EP include sero-epidemiological methods for equine babesiosis, but these lack specificity due to cross-reactivity with other Babesia species. In this study, we present a real-time quantitative recombinase polymerase amplification (qRPA) method for fast simultaneous detection of both T. equi and B. caballi. In this method, primers and probes targeting the 18S rRNA gene of both T. equi and B. caballi, the ema-1 gene of T. equi and the bc48 gene of B. caballi were designed and evaluated. The sensitivity of qRPA was evaluated using the pUC57 plasmid DNA containing the target gene. For the pUC57-bc48 gene DNA, the R2 value was 0.983 for the concentration range 0.2 ng (4.1 × 107 DNA copies) to 2.0 fg (4.1 × 101 DNA copies). For the pUC57-ema gene DNA, the R2 value was 0.993 for the concentration range 0.2 ng (5.26 × 107 DNA copies) to 2.0 fg (5.26 × 102 DNA copies). For the pUC57-Bc18S gene DNA the R2 value was 0.976 for the concentration range 2.0 ng (4.21 × 108 DNA copies) to 2.0 fg (4.21 × 102 DNA copies). For the pUC57-Te18S gene DNA, the R2 value was 0.952 (Fig. S3b) for the concentration range 2.0 ng (4.16 × 108 DNA copies) to 2.0 fg (4.16 × 102 DNA copies). Furthermore, a duplex qRPA analysis was developed and optimized and the results showed that primers and probes targeting for the bc48 gene of B. caballi and the 18S rRNA gene of T. equi is the best combination for a duplex qRPA analysis in one reaction. The developed duplex qRPA assay has good specificity, and had negative amplification for several similar parasite. For DNA extracted from real horse blood specimens, this qRPA method has comparable sensitivity to traditional qPCR, but a simpler and more rapid operating process to obtain positive amplification. The qRPA, including the duplex strategy described here, could allow fast identification of the EP-causing T. equi and B. caballi, showing great potential for on-site EP screening of horses.

Study of impact factors on the decay heat calculation of neutron sufficient even-even nuclei of Te, Xe, Ba, Ce, Nd and Sm isotopes

The impact factors on the decay heat calculation are studied for the neutron sufficient even-even nuclei of Te, Xe, Ba, Ce, Nd and Sm isotopes, including: nuclear deformation, nuclear structure complexity and level density. By comparing the calculated results of QRPA method and gross theory with the experimental results, it is found that for the case of even-even nuclei considered in this paper: gross theory presents better results for the situation of daughter nuclei with complex level scheme, showing its statistical method nature; QRPA method presents better results for near spherical nuclei. Both methods are not affected by the level density.

Deformed Hartree-Fock calculations for semileptonic processes in nuclei

In nuclear structure calculations, the Deformed Hartree-Fock (DHF) provides generally a good description for the low-lying spectroscopic properties of odd-even, odd-odd and even-even nuclear systems of which the consideration of the deformation is motivated by many reasons. The common random phase approximations (RPA, QRPA, etc.) mostly used to accurately evaluate the transition matrix elements in many nuclear processes [1,2], are appropriate for only spherical even-even nuclear systems even though, sometimes, isotopes considered as rather deformed are studied. In the present work, we discuss the treatment within the DHF method of nuclei in the region A = 70 — 80. This region includes isotopes (like 72Ge, 76Ge, 72Se, etc) interesting for studying many nuclear processes as the ,0/3-decay, scattering of dark matter candidates off nuclei, μ~ —&gt; e± conversions in nuclei. In our calculations the model space comprises 1P3/2, 0f5/2, 1pi/2 and 0p9/2 single particle Orbitals assuming 56Ni to be the inert core. The effective interaction employed, has been quite successfully used previously to describe many important features of the nuclei in this region. The lowest prolate Hartree-Fock single particle spectrum of some isotopes (72Ge, 76Ge) has been used to test the good angular momentum states which in this method are projected out from the intrinsic HF states. As an application, we examine the predictions of DHF for the exotic (μ~,ε~) conversion process. The contributions of all basic μ~ —&gt; e~ operators originating from a general effective Lagrangian [2] are compared with those of normal QRPA methods obtained previously.

Dissolution of shell structures and the polarizability of dripline nuclei

Nuclear matter and finite nuclei at extreme isospin are studied within the microscopical Giessen energy density functional (GEDF). The structure of the GEDF is discussed. Quasiparticle wave equations and the residual interactions are derived by variational methods. Applications to nuclear ground and excited states by HFB and QRPA methods and extensions to multi-phonon theory are indicated. Pairing effects are described by the Gorkov coupled channels approach by which wave function effects are accounted for. Pairing self-energies for continuum states and the resulting additional scattering phase shifts are introduced. It is shown that pairing and polarization self-energies can induce narrow resonances in continuum spectra. Dipole and quadrupole response functions and polarizabilities are discussed as signatures for halo and skin dynamics in lithium and in carbon isotopes. The recently established new pygmy dipole (PDR) and quadrupole (PQR) modes are considered as signatures for nuclear skin dynamics. Their importance for astrophysical reaction rates and stellar nucleo-synthesis is investigated.

Real-time quantitative isothermal detection of Ostreid herpesvirus-1 DNA in Scapharca subcrenata using recombinase polymerase amplification

Ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) is a well-known pathogen associated with high mortality rates in hatchery-reared larvae and juveniles of different bivalve species worldwide. Early, rapid and accurate diagnosis plays a fundamental role in disease prevention and control in aquaculture. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal amplification method, which can amplify detectable amount of DNA at 37 °C–39 °C within 20 min. In the present study, two sets of specific primers and probes were designed for the real-time quantitative RPA (qRPA) detection of OsHV-1 DNA. The sensitivity and specificity of detection were evaluated by comparison with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The detection limit for qRPA assays was shown to be 5 copies DNA/reaction for the primer set ORF95, which was lower than the 100 copies required for the qPCR test. The optimal reaction temperature and time were 37 °C for 20 min, making this approach faster than qPCR. This is the first study to apply qPCR and qRPA methods to detect OsHV-1 in Scapharca subcrenata. The percentage of viral load sample detected by the two methods was 22% and the correlation of the two virus quantitative results was 0.8. Therefore, qRPA assays is sensitive, fast, and high-temperature independent relative to qPCR and is suitable for critical clinical diagnostics use and rapid field analysis in resource-limited settings.

Investigation of Gamow Teller transition properties in [formula omitted]Ni isotopes using QRPA methods

Weak rates in nickel isotopes play an integral role in the dynamics of supernovae. Electron capture and β-decay of nickel isotopes, dictated by Gamow–Teller transitions, significantly alter the lepton fraction of the stellar matter. In this paper we calculate Gamow–Teller (GT) transitions for isotopes of nickel, Ni56–64, using QRPA methods. The GT strength distributions were calculated using four different QRPA models. Our results are also compared with previous theoretical calculations and measured strength distributions wherever available. Our investigation concluded that amongst all RPA models, the pn-QRPA(C) model best described the measured GT distributions (including total GT strength and centroid placement). It is hoped that the current investigation of GT properties would prove handy and may lead to a better understanding of the presupernova evolution of massive stars.

Constraints on Heavy Neutrino and SUSY Parameters Derived from the Study of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

New constraints on the lepton number violating (LNV) parameters are derived from the analysis of the neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay in the hypothesis that this process would occur through the exchange of heavy neutrinos and/or SUSY particles. For derivation, we use new values of both phase space factors (PSFs) and nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) calculated with numerical codes developed recently, as well as the most recent experimental lifetimes. The NMEs are computed with a shell model (ShM) code for 48Ca, 76Ge, and 82Senuclei, while at present similar ShM results are available only for the first nucleus. We compare our results with similar ones from literature, obtained with ShM, QRPA, and IBM-2 methods, and conclude that more results are needed for a relevant analysis on the validity of NMEs associated with these decay mechanisms.

Investigatingβ-decay properties of spherical nuclei along the possibler-process path

The spherical QRPA method is used for the calculations of the $\beta$-decay properties of the neutron-rich nuclei in the region near the neutron magic numbers N=82 and N=126 which are important for determination of the r-process path. Our calculations differ from previous works by the use of realistic forces for the proton-neutron interaction. Both the allowed and first-forbidden $\beta$-decays are included. Detailed comparisons with the experimental measurements and the previous shell-model calculations are performed. The results for half-lives and beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities will serve as input for the r-process nucleosynthesis simulations.

Di-neutron correlation and soft dipole excitation in medium mass neutron-rich nuclei near drip line

The neutron pairing correlation and the soft dipole excitation in medium-mass nuclei near drip-line are investigated from a viewpoint of the di-neutron correlation. Numerical analyses by means of the coordinate-space HFB and the continuum QRPA methods are performed for even-even $^{18-24}$O, $^{50-58}$Ca and $^{80-86}$Ni. A clear signature of the di-neutron correlation is found in the HFB ground state; two neutrons are correlated at short relative distances $\lesim 2$ fm with large probability $\sim 50%$. The soft dipole excitation is influenced strongly by the neutron pairing correlation, and it accompanies a large transition density for pair motion of neutrons. This behavior originates from a coherent superposition of two-quasiparticle configurations $[l\times (l+1)]_{L=1}$ consisting of continuum states with high orbital angular momenta $l$ reaching an order of $l\sim 10$. It raises a picture that the soft dipole excitation under the influence of neutron pairing is characterized by motion of di-neutron in the nuclear exterior against the remaining $A-2$ subsystem. Sensitivity to the density dependence of effective pair force is discussed.

Spin–isospin excitations and [formula omitted] half-lives of medium-mass deformed nuclei

A selfconsistent approach based on a deformed HF +BCS +QRPA method with density-dependent Skyrme forces is used to describe β + -decay properties in even–even deformed proton-rich nuclei. Residual spin–isospin forces are included in the particle–hole and particle–particle channels. The quasiparticle basis contains neutron–neutron and proton–proton pairing correlations in the BCS approach, while neutron–proton pairing interaction is treated as a residual force in QRPA. We discuss the sensitivity of Gamow–Teller strength distributions and β +/ EC half-lives to deformation, pairing and the strength of the particle–particle interaction. The dependence on deformation is also compared to that of spin M1 strength distributions.

Renormalized proton- neutron QRPA and double beta decay of 82Se to excited states in 82Kr

We apply the self-consistent renormalized proton-neutron QRPA (RQRPA) method to calculate the two-neutrino double beta (2νββ) decay matrix elements associated with the ground-state and excited-state transitions of the 82Se → 82Kr decay. The RQRPA method is an extension of the pnQRPA method and promotes the Pauli exclusion principle violated by the pnQRPA ground state and yields more stable nuclear matrix elements with increasing strength of the proton-neutron interaction. In the present work the RQRPA wave functions are also used to evaluate 2νββ-decay rates to excited final states. The resulting theoretical half lives are compared with the new stringent experimental limits obtained by using a HPGe detector and external sources of enriched selenium.