Nuclear skin emergence in Skyrme deformed Hartree-Fock calculations

Abstract

A study of the charge and matter densities and the corresponding rms radii for even-even isotopes of Ni, Kr, and Sn has been performed in the framework of the deformed self-consistent mean-field Skyrme HF+BCS method. The resulting charge radii and neutron skin thicknesses of these nuclei are compared with available experimental data, as well as with other theoretical predictions. The formation of a neutron skin, which manifests itself in an excess of neutrons at distances greater than the radius of the proton distribution, is analyzed in terms of various definitions. Formation of a proton skin is shown to be unlikely. The effects of deformation on the neutron skins in even-even deformed nuclei far from the stability line are discussed.