Influence of pairing correlations on the radius of neutron-rich nuclei

The influence of pairing correlations on the neutron root mean square (rms) radius of nuclei is investigated in the framework of self-consistent Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations. The continuum is treated appropriately by the Green's function techniques. As an example the nucleus Zr-124 is treated for a varying strength of pairing correlations. We find that, as the pairing strength increases, the neutron rms radius first shrinks, reaches a minimum, and beyond this point it expands again. The shrinkage is due to the the so-called pairing antihalo effect, i.e., due to the decrease of the asymptotic density distribution with increasing pairing. However, in some cases, increasing pairing correlations can also lead to an expansion of the nucleus due to a growing occupation of so-called halo orbits, i.e., weakly bound states and resonances in the continuum with low-l values. In this case, the neutron radii are extended just by the influence of pairing correlations, since these halo orbits cannot be occupied without pairing. The term "antihalo effect" is not justified in such cases. For a full understanding of this complicated interplay, self-consistent calculations are necessary.