Proton-neutron pairing energies in N=Z nuclei at finite temperature

Abstract

Thermal behavior of isoscalar and isovector proton-neutron (pn) pairing energies at finite temperature are investigated by the shell model calculations. These pn pairing energies can be estimated by double differences of "thermal" energies which are extended from the double differences of binding energies as the indicators of pn pairing energies at zero temperature. We found that the delicate balance between isoscalar and isovector pn pairing energies at zero temperature disappears at finite temperature. When temperature rises, while the isovector pn pairing energy decreases, the isoscalar pn pairing energy rather increases. We discuss also the symmetry energy at finite temperature.