Gamow-Teller excitations at finite temperature: competition between pairing and temperature effects

E. Yüksel, N. Paar, G. Colò, E. Khan, Y. F. Niu

Published 2019-09-19Version 1

The relativistic and non-relativistic finite temperature proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (FT-PNQRPA) methods are developed to study the interplay of the pairing and temperature effects on the Gamow-Teller excitations in open-shell nuclei, as well as to explore the model dependence of the results by using two rather different frameworks for effective nuclear interactions. The Skyrme-type functional SkM* is employed in the non-relativistic framework, while the density-dependent meson-exchange interaction DD-ME2 is implemented in the relativistic approach. Both the isoscalar and isovector pairing interactions are taken into account within the FT-PNQRPA. Model calculations show that below the critical temperatures the Gamow-Teller excitations display a sensitivity both to the finite temperature and pairing effects, and this demonstrates the necessity for implementing both in the theoretical framework. The established FT-PNQRPA opens perspectives for the future complete and consistent description of astrophysically relevant weak interaction processes in nuclei at finite temperature such as beta decays, electron capture and neutrino-nucleus reactions.