Global description of beta-minus decay in even-even nuclei with the axially-deformed Skyrme finite amplitude method

Abstract

We use the finite amplitude method for computing charge-changing Skyrme-QRPA transition strengths in axially-deformed nuclei together with a modern Skyrme energy-density functional to fit several previously unconstrained parameters in the charge-changing time-odd part of the functional. With the modified functional we then calculate rates of beta-minus decay for all medium-mass and heavy even-even nuclei between the valley of stability and the neutron drip line. We fit the Skyrme parameters to a limited set of beta-decay rates, a set of Gamow-Teller resonance energies, and a set of spin-dipole resonance energies, in both spherical and deformed nuclei. Comparison to available experimental beta-decay rates shows agreement at roughly the same level as in other global QRPA calculations. We estimate the uncertainty in our rates all the way to the neutron drip line through a construction that extrapolates the errors of known beta-decay rates in nuclei with intermediate Q values to less stable isotopes with higher Q values.