Finite Nuclei in the Quark-Meson Coupling Model.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Quantum Chromodynamics
• Hadron Structure

Background:

• Nuclear structure calculations rely on energy density functionals (EDFs).
• Existing EDFs, like Skyrme, often require numerous parameters and fine-tuning.
• A microscopic approach considering nucleon structure modifications is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the effective quark-meson coupling (QMC) energy density functional (EDF) for the first time.
• To investigate ground state properties of even-even nuclei using the QMC EDF.
• To compare the performance of the QMC EDF with established Skyrme EDFs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the nonrelativistic Hartree-Fock+BCS framework.
• Employed an EDF derived from a quark model of hadron structure.
• Incorporated nuclear medium effects via modifications to nucleon internal structure.

Main Results:

• The QMC EDF successfully studied a wide range of ground state properties for even-even nuclei.
• Achieved agreement with experimental data comparable to representative Skyrme EDFs.
• Demonstrated that the QMC EDF naturally derives density dependence and spin-orbit terms.

Conclusions:

• The QMC EDF provides a promising, parameter-efficient alternative for nuclear structure studies.
• Its microscopic derivation offers a clear physics basis for its adjustable parameters.
• The QMC EDF shows potential for describing both finite nuclei and nuclear matter without further adjustment.