Description of the Proton-Decaying <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:mn>0</mml:mn></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mo>+</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:msubsup></mml:mrow></mml:math> Resonance of the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>α</mml:mi></mml:math> Particle
N. Michel, W. Nazarewicz, M. Płoszajczak
Abstract
The recent precise experimental determination of the monopole transition form factor from the ground state of ^{4}He to its 0_{2}^{+} resonance via electron scattering has reinvigorated discussions about the nature of this first excited state of the α particle. The 0_{2}^{+} state has been traditionally interpreted in the literature as the isoscalar monopole resonance (breathing mode) or, alternatively, as a particle-hole shell-model excitation. To better understand the nature of this state, which lies only ∼410 keV above the proton emission threshold, we employ the coupled-channel representation of the no-core Gamow shell model. By considering the [^{3}H+p], [^{3}He+n], and [^{2}H+^{2}H] reaction channels, we explain the excitation energy and monopole form factor of the 0_{2}^{+} state. We argue that the continuum coupling strongly impacts the nature of this state, which carries characteristics of the proton decay threshold.