Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis S. De Baerdemacker, K. Heyde and V. Hellemans 7 Universiteit Gent, Vakgroep Subatomaire en Stralingsfysica, Proeftuinstraat 86, 0 B-9000 Gent, Belgium 0 2 E-mail: [email protected] n a J Abstract. Thematrixelementsofthequadrupolecollectivevariables,emergingfrom 3 collectivenuclearmodels,arecalculatedinthenaturalCartan-WeylbasisofO(5)which is a subgroup of a covering SU(1,1) O(5) structure. Making use of an intermediate 1 × setmethod,explicitexpressionsofthematrixelementsareobtainedinapurealgebraic v 8 way, fixing the γ-rotationalstructure of collective quadrupole models. 0 0 1 0 PACS numbers: 02.20Qs, 21.60Ev 7 0 / h Submitted to: J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. t - l c u n : v i X r a Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 2 1. Introduction Collective modes of motion play a significant role in the low-energy structure of atomic nuclei. To account for large quadrupole moments, the spherical shell-model picture needed to be extended to spheroidal deformations [1], due to collective polarization effects induced by single particles moving in the nuclear medium. As a consequence the nucleus can no longer be regarded as a rigid body, rather a soft object with a surface that can undergo oscillations and rotations in the laboratory framework. The quantized treatment of these excitations in the intrinsic framework [2,3] led to the development of the Bohr Hamiltonian in terms of the intrinsic collective variables β and γ [4,5], correspondingrespectively tothedegreeofaxialandtriaxialdeformation. Thedynamics is determined by the potential contained in the Bohr Hamiltonian, which can either be constructed from a microscopic theory or through phenomenological considerations. When the latter strategy is followed, one can either choose an analytically solvable potential, a topic which has recently gained a considerable amount of interest because of its application to critical points in phase shape transitions [6–8], or a more general expression [4] in terms of the collective variables, determining the surface (1). For an overview on (approximative) analytically solvable potentials, we would like to refer the reader to [9]. Analytically solvable potentials are intended as benchmarks in order to study more general and complex potentials. To handle these potentials, one needs to perform a diagonalization, for which a suitable basis is needed. Within the literature, several methods have been proposed and profoundly discussed. Pioneering work has been carried out by B`es [10], who determined the explicit γ-soft wavefunctions through a coupled differential equation method. Unfortunately, this technique becomes tremendously complicated for spin states, higher than L = 6. Therefore, other techniques have been developed, fully exploiting the SU(1,1) O(5) structure of the × five-dimensional harmonic oscillator. Nevertheless, complications arise. Since the Hamiltonian is an angular momentum scalar, the eigenstates automatically possess good quantum numbers L and M of the physical O(3) O(2) chain which does not ⊃ evolve naturally from the Cartan-Weyl group reduction. As a consequence one is forced to construct explicit wavefunctions, starting either from basic building blocks [11–13] or from a projective coherent state formalism [14], constituting an orthonormal basis [15,16]. Nevertheless, the alternative Cartan-Weyl [17,18] reduction path may also be followed as it leads to a reduction scheme which is more natural in a mathematical sense, though the physical meaning of the quantum numbers is partially lost. This strategy was followed by Hecht [19] to construct fractional parentage coefficients for spin-2 phonons, that were used by the Frankfurt group [4,20] in the development of the General Collective model. It is noteworthy that new techniques have been proposed within the last decennium. First, the vector coherent state formalism [21–24] and much more recently the algebraic tractable model [25,26] were developed, enabling the construction of the quadrupole Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 3 harmonic oscillator representations, exhibiting good O(3) angular momentum quantum numbers. In the present paper, the path of the natural Cartan-Weyl reduction is taken. It will be shown that the matrix elements of the quadrupole variable can be extracted within this basis, without making use of the explicit representations in terms of the collective variables. In the end, it will turn out that the basic commutation relations of the collective variables suffice to fix the complete structure of the algebra, and furthermore the dynamics of the Hamiltonian. 2. The collective model Within the framework of the geometrical model, the nucleus is regarded as a liquid drop with a surface R(θ,φ) described by a multipole expansion using spherical harmonics in the laboratory system R(θ,φ) = R 1+ α Y (θ,φ) , (1) 0 λ∗,µ λ,µ (cid:16) Xλ,µ (cid:17) which defines the set of collective coordinates α of multipolarity λ and projection λ,µ µ. Up to quadrupole deformation, the surface (1) is restricted to spheroidal deforma- tions determined by the variables α which will be abbreviated to α from here on. 2,µ µ Although the intrinsic surface is unambiguously described by this set of variables, it is convenient to rotate from the laboratory to the intrinsic framework by means of the Euler angles (θ ,i = 1,2,3). Doing so, the collective variables (β,γ) are introduced as i intrinsic parameters of the ellipsoid, rendering a straightforward interpretation of axial and triaxial deformation [4]. sinγ α = β cosγD2 (θ )+ (D2 (θ )+D2 (θ )) . (2) µ µ∗0 i √2 µ∗2 i µ∗−2 i (cid:20) (cid:21) This set of collective variables is sufficient for the determination of the static properties of nuclear shapes. To build in the essential quantum mechanical dynamics, canonic conjugate momenta πµ′ need to be incorporated. These must fulfill the standard commutation relations [4] [πµ′,αµ] = i~δµµ′, [πµ′,πµ] = 0, [αµ′,αµ] = 0. (3) − Note that the variables have become operators though we silently omit the operator symbol to avoid notational overload. To establish the SU(1,1) O(5) group structure, it is convenient to introduce the × following recoupling formula (α α)(π π ) =(α π )(α π )+3i~(α π ) ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ · · · · · (4) 2([απ ](1) [απ ](1) +[απ ](3) [απ ](3)), ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ − · · where the complex conjugate π is introduced to ensure for good angular momentum ∗ transformation properties and T S = ( )l√2l+1[T S ](0). l · l − l l 0 Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 4 The 3 operators (α α), (π π ) and (α π ) generate the algebra of an SU(1,1) group, ∗ ∗ ∗ · · · which forms a direct product together with the O(5) group, built from the 10 operators (1) (3) [απ ] and [απ ] . Whereas the SU(1,1) group is strongly linked to the excitations ∗ M ∗ M in the radial variable β, the O(5) group encompasses the γ vibrations coupled to the rotationalstructure. In this work, we concentrate onthe application of the Cartan-Weyl scheme on the O(5) group, leaving a freedom of choice of a suitable SU(1,1) basis. 3. The Cartan-Weyl reduction of O(5) The commutation relations of the operators L and O , defined by M M [απ ](1) = i~ L , ∗ M √10 M (5) [απ ](3) = i~ O , ∗ M √10 M span the algebra of the O(5) group. [Lm,Lm′] = √2 1m1m′ 1m+m′ Lm+m′, (6) − h | i [Lm,Om′] = 2√3 1m3m′ 3m+m′ Om+m′, (7) − h | i [Om,Om′] = 2√7 3m3m′ 1m+m′ Lm+m′ − h | i +√6 3m3m′ 3m+m′ Om+m′. (8) h | i TheM = 0projections L ,O formanintuitivechoiceoftheCartansubalgebrawithin 0 0 { } the set Lm,Om′ . This set has the advantage of incorporating the angular momentum { } projection operator L in the physical group reduction chain O(5) O(3) O(2). 0 ⊃ ⊃ Nevertheless, it is not explicitly contained in the natural Cartan-Weyl reduction chain O(5) O(4) = SU(2) SU(2) which can be realized through the following rotation ∼ ⊃ × [11,21] X = 1(√2L +√3O ), Y = 1 O , + −5 +1 +1 + −√5 +3 X = 1(√2L +√3O ), Y = 1 O , − 5 −1 −1 − √5 −3 X = 1 (L +3O ), Y = 1 (3L O ), (9) 0 10 0 0 0 10 0 − 0 T1212 = √110O+2, T−2112 = −√150(√3L+1 −√2O+1), T−21−21 = −√110O−2, T12−21 = √150(√3L−1 −√2O−1). The group reduction is immediately clear, as the sets X ,X and Y ,Y both span 0 0 { ±} { ±} standard SU(2) algebras. Furthermoreallgenerators of theone SU(2) algebra commute with all generators of the other. The commutation relations are given by [X ,X ] = X ,[X ,X ] = 2X , 0 + 0 ± ± ± − [Y ,Y ] = Y , [Y ,Y ] = 2Y , (10) 0 + 0 ± ± ± − [X ,Y ] = 0, [X ,Y ] = [X ,Y ] = 0. 0 0 ± ± ± ∓ So the reduction is O(5) O(4) = SU(2) SU(2) . The non-O(4) operators T ∼ X Y µν ⊃ × can be identified as the 4 components of a bitensor of character 1, 1 within the {2 2} SU(2) SU(2) scheme, according to Racah’s definition [27]. The index µ denotes × Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 5 the bitensor component relative to the SU(2) group, while ν is the component with X respect to SU(2) Y [X ,T ] = µT , 0 µν µν [X ,T ] = (1 µ)(1 µ+1)T , ± µν 2 ∓ 2 ± µ±1ν (11) q [Y ,T ] = νT , 0 µν µν [Y ,T ] = (1 ν)(1 ν +1)T . ± µν 2 ∓ 2 ± µν±1 q The internal commutation relations of the T bitensor completes the Cartan-Weyl structure, which can be found in table (1) T 1 1 T1 1 T 11 T11 ∗ −2−2 2−2 −22 22 T−21−12 0 12Y− 21X− 12(X0 +Y0) T21−21 −12Y− 0 12(X0 −Y0) −21X+ T−2121 −12X− −21(X0 −Y0) 0 −12Y+ T1212 −21(X0 +Y0) 12X+ 21Y+ 0 Table 1. MultiplicationtablefortheinternalcommutationrelationsoftheT bitensor. The multiplication symbolizes the standard commutation. ∗ Once the commutation relations have been determined within the Cartan-Weyl basis, it is instructive to construct the root diagram. Figure 1 shows 2 different realizations of the same root diagram, depending on the choice of the Cartan subalgebra. On the left side (Fig. 1a) a standard root diagram with respect to the X ,Y Cartan subalgebra is 0 0 { } depicted, while onthe right side (Fig.1b), a morephysical subalgebra L ,O ischosen 0 0 { } as a reference frame. The latter framework has a visual advantage, since the projection of the generators on the L -axis is readily established. This enhances the insight in the 0 problem of constructing wavefunctions with good angular momentum from the weight diagrams in the Cartan-Weyl basis (see section (6)). 4. Representations of O(5) Every subgroup in the group reduction chain provides an associated Casimir operator. The quadratic Casimir operator of O(5) can be constructed from the Killing form [18] [O(5)] = 1(L L+O O), (12) C2 5 · · = 2(X2 +Y2 2[TT](00)). (13) − with [TT](00) denoting the scalar Clebsch Gordan coupling with respect to both SU(2) X and SU(2) , and X2 and Y2 the quadratic Casimir operator of the respective SU(2) Y groups X2 = X2 + 1(X X +X X ), (14) 0 2 + + − − Y2 = Y2 + 1(Y Y +Y Y ). (15) 0 2 + + − − Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 6 X0 X0 X X 1 + 3 + T 1/2,−1/2 T1/2,−1/2 1/2 T1/2,1/2 2 Y_ T 1 1/2,1/2 Y + Y_ 1/2 1 Y0 1 2 3 Y0 T −1/2,−1/2 Y + T T −1/2,−1/2 −1/2,1/2 T −1/2,1/2 (a) X_ (b) X_ Figure 1. The root diagrams of the O(5) algebra in the Cartan-Weylbasis for either the (a) natural X0,Y0 or (b) physical L0,O0 Cartan subalgebra { } { } Starting fromthe explicit expressions of the generators (see Appendix A) interms of the collective variables and the canonic conjugate momenta, the following operator identity can be proven X2 Y2 0, (16) − ≡ which is true in general for symmetric representations [11]. The consequence of this identity is that we are left with 4 operators that commute among each others, i.e. the quadratic Casimir operator of O(5), the quadratic Casimir operator of SU(2) X and SU(2) (X2 Y2) and the Cartan subalgebra X ,Y which are the respective Y 0 0 ≡ { } linear Casimir operators of the O(2) and O(2) subgroups. As a result, we obtain a X Y representation which is determined by 4 independent quantum numbers vXM M (17) X Y | i with [O(5)] vXM M = v(v+3) vXM M , (18) 2 X Y X Y C | i | i X2 vXM M = Y2 vXM M = X(X +1) vXM M , (19) X Y X Y X Y | i | i | i X vXM M = M vXM M , (20) 0 X Y X X Y | i | i Y vXM M = M vXM M . (21) 0 X Y Y X Y | i | i Now that the basis to work in is fixed, we can study the action of the generators as they hop through the representations with fixed quantum number v. Acting with the O(4) = SU(2) SU(2) generatorson vXM M istrivialbecause ofthewell-known ∼ X Y X Y × | i angular momentum theory X vXM M = (X M )(X M +1) vXM 1,M , (22) X Y X X X Y ±| i ∓ ± | ± i X0 vXMXMY = pMX vXMXMY , (23) | i | i Y vXM M = (X M )(X M +1) vXM ,M 1 , (24) X Y Y Y X Y ±| i ∓ ± | ± i p Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 7 Y vXM M = M vXM M . (25) 0 X Y Y X Y | i | i The action of T on vX(M ,M ) is less trivial, though the bitensorial character of µν X Y | i T can be well exploited. Since T is a 11 bitensor, it can only connect representations {22} that differ 1 in quantum number X 2 T vXM M = a v,X + 1,M +µ,M +ν µν| X Yi | 2 X Y i . (26) +b v,X 1,M +µ,M +ν | − 2 X Y i The coefficients a and b are not only dependent on v and X, but also on the projection quantum numbers µ, ν, M and M . However, these projections can be filtered out X Y by means of the Wigner-Eckart theorem. As the SU(2) forms a direct product with X SU(2) , we can apply the theorem for both groups, independently from each other. Y As a result, the dependency on the projection quantum numbers is completely factored out in the Wigner-3j symbols. This leaves a double reduced matrix element to be ‡ calculated. a = v,X + 1,M +µ,M +ν T vXM M h 2 X Y | µν| X Yi X + 1 1 X X + 1 1 X 1 (27) = ( )k 2 2 2 2 vX + T vX , − M µ µ M M ν ν M h 2|| || i X X ! Y Y ! − − − − b = v,X 1,M +µ,M +ν T vXM M h − 2 X Y | µν| X Yi X 1 1 X X 1 1 X 1 (28) = ( )k − 2 2 − 2 2 vX T vX , − M µ µ M M ν ν M h − 2|| || i X X ! Y Y ! − − − − with k = 2X +1 M M µ ν. X Y − − − − In order to calculate the double reduced matrix element, we have 2 types of expressions at hand. On the one hand the internal commutation relations of the T bitensor (see Table 1) and on the other hand the Casimir operator of O(5) (13). First we consider the internal commutation relations, in which case it is instructive to proceed by means of an example although the obtained result is generally valid. Take e.g. the commutation relation [T−21−21,T2121] = 12(X0 +Y0), and sandwich it with the state |vXMXMYi vXMXMY T 1 1T11 vXMXMY vXMXMY T11T 1 1 vXMXMY h | −2−2 22| i−h | 22 −2−2| i (29) = 1(M +M ). 2 X Y At this point, we can insert a complete set of intermediate states v X M M between | ′ ′ X′ Y′ i the two generators. hvXMXMY|T−21−21|v′X′MX′ MY′ ihv′X′MX′ MY′ |T2112|vXMXMYi v′X′XMX′ MY′ − hvXMXMY|T2112|v′X′MX′ MY′ ihv′X′MX′ MY′ |T−21−21|vXMXMYi (30) v′X′XMX′ MY′ = 1(M +M ). 2 X Y We formally use the single reduced matrix notation in order to express the double reduced matrix, ‡ as any confusion between normal and double reduced matrix element is excluded within this work. Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 8 Due to symmetry considerations, a large amount of the matrix elements in the summation are identically zero. First of all the SU(2) SU(2) bitensor character X Y × of T dictates strict selection rules with respect to X, M and M . As a result the X Y summation over X , M and M is restricted to specific values which are completely ′ X′ X′ governed by the Wigner-3j symbol in (27,28). Secondly, the components T of T are µν O(5)generators, whichcannotaltertheseniorityquantumnumber v. So,thesummation over v is reduced to one state v = v. ′ ′ Once the restriction in the summation is carried out, it is convenient to apply the Wigner-Eckart theorem (27,28) and after some tedious algebra we obtain a relationship for the double reduced matrix elements vX T vX + 1 vX + 1 T vX vX T vX 1 vX 1 T vX (2X +1)2 h || || 2ih 2|| || i h || || − 2ih − 2|| || i = .(31) 2X +2 − 2X 2 The same procedure can be followed for the quadratic Casimir of O(5). Sandwiching equation (13) with vXM M yields X Y | i vXMXMY (T 11T1 1 +T1 1T 11 T 1 1T11 T11T 1 1) vXMXMY h | −22 2−2 2−2 −22 − −2−2 22 − 22 −2−2 | i (32) = v(v +3) 4X(X +1). − By inserting again a complete set, applying the Wigner-Eckart theorem and making use of the previously derived relation (31), we obtain the result 4 vX T vX + 1 vX + 1 T vX = (v 2X)(v+2X +3)(2X +1)(2X +2). (33) − h || || 2ih 2|| || i − This can slightly be rewritten, if one takes the Hermitian conjugate of the T bitensor into consideration. T = ( 1)µ+νT . (34) µ†ν − −µ−ν It can be proven that this leads towards the following expression for the double reduced matrix elements v,X T v,X + 1 = v,X + 1 T v,X . (35) ∗ h || || 2i −h 2|| || i As a result, we can write vX T vX + 1 2 = 1(v 2X)(v +2X +3)(2X +1)(2X +2), (36) |h || || 2i| 4 − vX T vX 1 2 = 1(v 2X +1)(v +2X +2)(2X)(2X +1). (37) |h || || − 2i| 4 − So the double reduced matrix elements are determined up to a phase. Here we fix the relative sign of vX T vX+1 and vX T vX 1 to beopposite, asit is theonly way h || || 2i h || || −2i to obtain eigenstates with real angular momentum L in the physical basis (see section (6)). Once that the double reduced matrix elements are determined, they can be plugged into equations (27,28), yielding the action of the bitensor T components. T11 vXMXMY = 22| i (X +M +1)(X +M +1)(v 2X)(v+2X +3) X Y − vX + 1,M + 1,M + 1 2 (2X +1)(2X +2) | 2 X 2 Y 2i(38) p (X M )(X M )(v 2X +1)(v +2X +2) − X p− Y − vX 1,M + 1,M + 1 , − 2 (2X)(2X +1) | − 2 X 2 Y 2i p p Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 9 T1 1 vXMXMY = 2−2| i (X +M +1)(X M +1)(v 2X)(v+2X +3) = X − Y − vX + 1,M + 1,M 1 2 (2X +1)(2X +2) | 2 X 2 Y − (23i9) p (X M )(X +M )(v 2X +1)(v +2X +2) + − X p Y − vX 1,M + 1,M 1 , 2 (2X)(2X +1) | − 2 X 2 Y − 2i p T 11 vXMXMY p −22| i (X M +1)(X +M +1)(v 2X)(v+2X +3) = − X Y − vX + 1,M 1,M + 1 2 (2X +1)(2X +2) | 2 X − 2 Y (24i0) p (X +M )(X M )(v 2X +1)(v +2X +2) + X −p Y − vX 1,M 1,M + 1 , 2 (2X)(2X +1) | − 2 X − 2 Y 2i p T 1 1 vXMXMY p −2−2| i (X M +1)(X M +1)(v 2X)(v+2X +3) = − X − Y − vX + 1,M 1,M 1 2 (2X +1)(2X +2) | 2 X − 2 Y −(24i1) p (X +M )(X +M )(v 2X +1)(v +2X +2) X p Y − vX 1,M 1,M 1 . − 2 (2X)(2X +1) | − 2 X − 2 Y − 2i p From these expressions it is clearly seen that no representations can be constructed p with X > v, as the representations must have a positive definite norm. Combining 2 these results with the standard quantum reduction rules for the SU(2) group, we can label all basis states of a representation with fixed v as follows X = 0...v/2, M = X ...X, (42) X − M = X ...X. Y − Figure (2) gives a visual interpretation of the reduction rules for the representation v = 2. 5. Matrix elements of collective variables The Hamiltonian describing a system undergoing quadrupole collective excitations contains a potential V(α), written in terms of the collective variables α . Indeed, it µ turns out that [αα](2) α β3cos3γ, (43) · ∼ can be considered as the building block of the γ part of the potential V(β,γ) in the intrinsic frame [4]. Therefore, matrix elements of α within a suitable basis are needed µ for the construction of the matrix representation of the Hamiltonian. As the chosen framework in the present paper is the Cartan-Weyl natural basis, we proceed within this basis and show that all matrix elements can be calculated by means of an algebraic procedure, similar to the one proposed in the preceding section. First, we need to establish the bitensor character of the collective variables α with µ Quadrupole collective variables in the natural Cartan-Weyl basis 10 Figure 2. Visual interpretation of an O(5) representation with v = 2. Every sphere denotes a single basis state. The representationis organizedin planes with distinct X quantum number, which contain (2X +1)2 (MX,MY) projection states. respect to SU(2) SU(2) . Calculating the commutation relations of α with the X Y µ × SU(2) generators (which is done most conveniently using the explicit expressions given in Appendix A), we can summerize them as [X ,αλλ] = µαλλ, (44) 0 µν µν [X ,αλλ] = (λ µ)(λ µ+1)αλλ , (45) ± µν ∓ ± µ±1ν [Y0,αµλνλ] = νpαµλνλ, (46) [Y ,αλλ] = (λ ν)(λ ν +1)αλλ , (47) ± µν ∓ ± µν±1 where the 5 collective varipables have been relabelled as follows 11 11 11 11 α = α22,α = α22 ,α = α22 ,α = α22 , (48) 2 11 1 11 1 1 1 2 1 1 22 −22 − 2−2 − −2−2 n o α = α00 . (49) 0 00 n o This clearly states that the 5 projections of α can be divided into the 4 components of a 11 bispinor and a single biscalar, according to Racah [27]. We can again define {22} double reduced matrix elements vXM M αλλ v X M M h X Y| µν| ′ ′ X′ Y′ i X λ X X λ X (50) = ( )k ′ ′ vX αλ v X , ′ ′ − M µ M M ν M h || || i − X X′ ! − Y Y′ ! with k = 2X M M . It is noteworthy that, contrary to the matrix elements of the X Y − − generators T , v is not necessarily equal to v. To obtain explicit expressions for the µν ′ double reduced matrix elements, we start from the commutation relations 11 ( )(µ+ν) [Tµν,αµ2′2ν′] = −√2 δ−µµ′δ−νν′α0000, (51)