Shell closure at $N=34$ and the $^{48}$Si nucleus

Abstract

By using a non-relativistic independent particle model we investigate the mechanism promoting 34 as new magic number. We carried out Hartree-Fock plus Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer and Quasi-particle Random Phase Approximation calculations by consistently using the same finite-range interaction in all the three steps of our approach. We used four Gogny-like interactions, with and without tensor terms. We find that the shell closure for $N=34$ neutrons appears in isotones with $Z<26\,$ protons. The smaller is the proton number, the more evident is the shell closure at $N=34$. An ideal nucleus to investigate this effect should be $^{48}$Si, as it has been recently suggested. However, some discrepancies occur between the results obtained with the four effective interactions we used concerning the position of the two-neutron drip line and, therefore, the existence of $^{48}$Si. The experimental identification of this nucleus could shed light about the shell evolution in nuclei far from the stability valley and put stringent tests on nuclear structure theories.