Coherent states in nuclear dynamics

J. Broeckhove, E. Kesteloot, Piet Van Leuven

Agustín Diz

William Richard Bassermann

Yngve Öhrn, Erik Deumens

DAVID J. ROWE

The three-dimensional harmonic oscillator plays a central role in nuclear physics. It provides the underlying structure of the independent-particle shell model and gives rise to the dynamical group structures on which models of nuclear collective motion are based. It is shown that the three-dimensional harmonic oscillator features a rich variety of coherent states, including vibrations of the monopole, dipole, and quadrupole types, and rotations of the rigid flow, vortex flow, and irrotational flow types. Nuclear collective states exhibit all of these flows. It is also shown that the coherent state representations, which have their origins in applications to the dynamical groups of the simple harmonic oscillator, can be extended to vector coherent state representations with a much wider range of applicability. As a result, coherent state theory and vector coherent state theory become powerful tools in the application of algebraic methods in physics.

Jorge A. Morales, Erik Deumens, Yngve Öhrn

Coherent states suitable for the description of molecular rotations are developed and their connection to similar coherent states in the literature are explored. In particular their quasiclassical properties are developed. The use of such coherent states in time-dependent electron nuclear dynamics studies of molecular collision processes is discussed.