Superheavy Nuclei: Relativistic Mean Field Outlook

Abstract

The analysis of quasiparticle spectra in heaviest $A\sim 250$ nuclei with spectroscopic data provides an additional constraint for the choice of effective interaction for the description of superheavy nuclei. It strongly suggest that only the parametrizations of the relativistic mean field Lagrangian which predict Z=120 and N=172 as shell closures are reliable for superheavy nuclei. The influence of the central depression in the density distribution of spherical superheavy nuclei on the shell structure is studied. Large central depression produces large shell gaps at Z=120 and N=172. The shell gaps at Z=126 and N=184 are favored by a flat density distribution in the central part of nucleus. It is shown that approximate particle number projection (PNP) by means of the Lipkin-Nogami method removes pairing collapse seen at these gaps in the calculations without PNP.