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DOE OSTI · 1822474

Unnuclear physics: Conformal symmetry in nuclear reactions

Hammer, Hans-Werner·Son, Dam Thanh
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Abstract

Significance Symmetry plays a key role in modern physics as a guiding principle for fundamental theories of nature. We use the nonrelativistic conformal symmetry to predict universal energy spectra of final states in reactions of quantum particles at vastly different length scales. Our work extends Georgi’s “unparticle” proposal to nonrelativistic spin-1/2 fermions in the unitary regime of strong interactions. These systems form so-called unparticles, which behave characteristically different from normal particles. They can be engineered with ultracold atoms and occur naturally in nuclear reactions with multiple neutrons—a situation we dub “unnuclear physics.” We present the general scenario of unnuclear physics, apply it to identify unnuclei in nuclear reactions, and highlight the opportunity to measure unnuclei at radioactive beam facilities.

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73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICSconformal field theoryfew-body systemsnuclear reactionsultracold atoms

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Hammer, Hans-Werner, Son, Dam Thanh. 2021-08-23. Unnuclear physics: Conformal symmetry in nuclear reactions. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2108716118

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