Whence the odd-even staggering in nuclear binding?

Abstract

We explore the systematics of odd-even mass staggering with a view to identifying the physical mechanisms responsible. The BCS pairing and mean field contributions have A- and number parity dependencies which can help disentangle the different contributions. This motivates the two-term parametrization c_1 + c_2/A as a theoretically based alternative to the inverse power form traditionally used to fit odd-even mass differences. Assuming that the A-dependence of the BCS pairing is weak, we find that mean-field contributions are dominant below mass number A~40 while BCS pairing dominates in heavier nuclei.

5 pages, 3 tables

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• Global phenomenological descriptions of nuclear odd-even mass staggering
• Cluster radioactivity in trans-lead region: A systematic study with modified empirical formulas
• Influence of secondary decay on odd-even staggering of fragment cross sections
• Mass differences and neutron pairing in Ca, Sn and Pb isotopes