<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mmultiscripts><mml:mi>Th</mml:mi><mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/><mml:mrow><mml:mn>229</mml:mn><mml:mi>m</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:mmultiscripts></mml:math> isomer from a nuclear model perspective
N. Minkov, Adriana Pálffy
Abstract
The physical conditions for the emergence of the extremely low-lying nuclear isomer $^{229m}\mathrm{Th}$ at approximately 8 eV are investigated in the framework of our recently proposed nuclear structure model. Our theoretical approach explains the $^{229m}\mathrm{Th}$-isomer phenomenon as the result of a very fine interplay between collective quadrupole-octupole and single-particle dynamics in the nucleus. We find that the isomeric state can only appear in a rather limited model space of quadrupole-octupole deformations in the single-particle potential, with the octupole deformation being of a crucial importance for its formation. Within this deformation space the model-described quantities exhibit a rather smooth behavior close to the line of isomer--ground-state quasidegeneracy determined by the crossing of the corresponding single-particle orbitals. Our comprehensive analysis confirms the previous model predictions for reduced transition probabilities and the isomer magnetic moment, while showing a possibility for limited variation in the ground-state magnetic moment theoretical value. These findings prove the reliability of the model and suggest that the same dynamical mechanism could manifest in other actinide nuclei giving a general prescription for the search and exploration of similar isomer phenomena.