J. Duflo

Bio: J. Duflo is an academic researcher from Centre national de la recherche scientifique. The author has contributed to research in topics: Anomaly (physics) & Extrapolation. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 3 publications receiving 446 citations.

Microscopic mass formulas

Abstract: By assuming the existence of a pseudopotential smooth enough to do Hartree-Fock variations and good enough to describe nuclear structure, we construct mass formulas that rely on general scaling arguments and on a schematic reading of shell model calculations. Fits to 1751 known binding energies for N,Z\ensuremath{\ge}8 lead to rms errors of 375 keV with 28 parameters. Tests of the extrapolation properties are passed successfully. The Bethe-Weizs\"acker formula is shown to be the asymptotic limit of the present one(s). The surface energy of nuclear matter turns out to be probably smaller than currently accepted.

The nuclear monopole Hamiltonian

Abstract: The monopole Hamiltonian ${H}_{m}$ is defined as the part of the interaction that reproduces the average energies of configurations. After separating the bulk contributions, we propose a minimal form for ${H}_{m}$ containing six parameters adjusted to reproduce the spectra of particle and hole states on doubly magic cores. The mechanism of shell formation is then explained. The reliability of the parametrization is checked by showing that the predicted particle-hole gaps are consistent with experimental data, and that the monopole matrix elements obtained provide the phenomenological cure made necessary by the bad saturation and shell properties of the realistic $\mathrm{NN}$ interaction. Predictions are made for the yet unobserved levels around ${}^{132}\mathrm{Sn},$ ${}^{22}\mathrm{O},$ ${}^{34,42}\mathrm{Si},$ ${}^{68,78}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{i},$ and ${}^{100}\mathrm{Sn}$ and for the particle-hole gaps in these nuclei.

Mirror displacement energies and neutron skins

Abstract: A gross estimate of the neutron skin $[0.80(5)(N\ensuremath{-}Z)/A\mathrm{fm}]$ is extracted from experimental proton radii, represented by a four parameter fit, and observed mirror displacement energies (CDE). The calculation of the latter relies on an accurately derived Coulomb energy and smooth averages of the charge symmetry breaking potentials constrained to state of the art values. The only free parameter is the neutron skin itself. The Nolen Schiffer anomaly is reduced to small deviations $(\mathrm{rms}=127\mathrm{keV})$ that exhibit a secular trend. It is argued that with state of the art shell model calculations the anomaly should disappear. Highly accurate fits to proton radii emerge as a fringe benefit.

The shell model as a unified view of nuclear structure

Abstract: The last decade has witnessed both quantitative and qualitative progresses in Shell Model studies, which have resulted in remarkable gains in our understanding of the structure of the nucleus. Indeed, it is now possible to diagonalize matrices in determinantal spaces of dimensionality up to 10^9 using the Lanczos tridiagonal construction, whose formal and numerical aspects we will analyze. Besides, many new approximation methods have been developed in order to overcome the dimensionality limitations. Furthermore, new effective nucleon-nucleon interactions have been constructed that contain both two and three-body contributions. The former are derived from realistic potentials (i.e., consistent with two nucleon data). The latter incorporate the pure monopole terms necessary to correct the bad saturation and shell-formation properties of the realistic two-body forces. This combination appears to solve a number of hitherto puzzling problems. In the present review we will concentrate on those results which illustrate the global features of the approach: the universality of the effective interaction and the capacity of the Shell Model to describe simultaneously all the manifestations of the nuclear dynamics either of single particle or collective nature. We will also treat in some detail the problems associated with rotational motion, the origin of quenching of the Gamow Teller transitions, the double beta-decays, the effect of isospin non conserving nuclear forces, and the specificities of the very neutron rich nuclei. Many other calculations--that appear to have ``merely'' spectroscopic interest--are touched upon briefly, although we are fully aware that much of the credibility of the Shell Model rests on them.

The jina reaclib database: its recent updates and impact on type-i x-ray bursts

Abstract: We present results from the JINA REACLIB project, an ongoing effort to maintain a current and accurate library of thermonuclear reaction rates for astrophysical applications. Ongoing updates are transparently documented and version tracked, and any set of rates is publicly available and can be downloaded via a Web interface at http://groups.nscl.msu.edu/jina/reaclib/db/. We discuss here our library V1.0, a snapshot of recommended rates for stable and explosive hydrogen and helium burning. We show that the updated reaction rates lead to modest but significant changes in full network, one-dimensional X-ray burst model calculations, compared with calculations with previously used reaction rate sets. The late time behavior of X-ray burst light curves shows significant changes, suggesting that the previously found small discrepancies between model calculations and observations may be solved with a better understanding of the nuclear input. Our X-ray burst model calculations are intended to serve as a benchmark for future model comparisons and sensitivity studies, as the complete underlying nuclear physics is fully documented and publicly available.

The X-ray counterpart to the gravitational-wave event GW170817

Abstract: Detection of X-ray emission at a location coincident with the kilonova transient of the gravitational-wave event GW170817 provides the missing observational link between short gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves from neutron-star mergers. Merging neutron stars are potential sources of gravitational waves and have long been predicted to produce jets of material as part of a low-luminosity transient known as a 'kilonova'. There is growing evidence that neutron-star mergers also give rise to short, hard gamma-ray bursts. A group of papers in this issue report observations of a transient associated with the gravitational-wave event GW170817—a signature of two neutron stars merging and a gamma-ray flash—that was detected in August 2017. The observed gamma-ray, X-ray, optical and infrared radiation signatures support the predictions of an outflow of matter from double neutron-star mergers and present a clear origin for gamma-ray bursts. Previous predictions differ over whether the jet material would combine to form light or heavy elements. These papers now show that the early part of the outflow was associated with lighter elements whereas the later observations can be explained by heavier elements, the origins of which have been uncertain. However, one paper (by Stephen Smartt and colleagues) argues that only light elements are needed for the entire event. Additionally, Eleonora Troja and colleagues report X-ray observations and radio emissions that suggest that the 'kilonova' jet was observed off-axis, which could explain why gamma-ray-burst detections are seen as dim. A long-standing paradigm in astrophysics is that collisions—or mergers—of two neutron stars form highly relativistic and collimated outflows (jets) that power γ-ray bursts of short (less than two seconds) duration1,2,3. The observational support for this model, however, is only indirect4,5. A hitherto outstanding prediction is that gravitational-wave events from such mergers should be associated with γ-ray bursts, and that a majority of these bursts should be seen off-axis, that is, they should point away from Earth6,7. Here we report the discovery observations of the X-ray counterpart associated with the gravitational-wave event GW170817. Although the electromagnetic counterpart at optical and infrared frequencies is dominated by the radioactive glow (known as a ‘kilonova’) from freshly synthesized rapid neutron capture (r-process) material in the merger ejecta8,9,10, observations at X-ray and, later, radio frequencies are consistent with a short γ-ray burst viewed off-axis7,11. Our detection of X-ray emission at a location coincident with the kilonova transient provides the missing observational link between short γ-ray bursts and gravitational waves from neutron-star mergers, and gives independent confirmation of the collimated nature of the γ-ray-burst emission.