Nuclear Radii of Proton-Unbound Systems
Abstract
Nuclear radius is a fundamental structural observable that informs many properties of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. Experimental studies of radii in drip line nuclei are in the forefront of research with radioactive ion beams. Of particular interest are charge radii of proton-unbound nuclei that will soon be approached in laser spectroscopy. In this Letter, using the complex-energy approach and direct time propagation, we investigate the radius of the proton resonance whose size is ill defined in the standard stationary quantum-mechanical description. An early-time plateau is identified during which the radius of the Gamow resonance coincides with the real-energy radius accessible experimentally. We demonstrate a nonmonotonic dependence of the complex radius on decay energy and a local increase of the charge radius across the threshold (a halolike enhancement).
Fields of Study & Subjects
Nuclear physics research studies
Quantum chaos and dynamical systems
Atomic and Molecular Physics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 122501–122501
- Publication date
- 3 March 2026
- Language
- EN