The nuclear pseudospin symmetry along an isotopic chain

Abstract

We investigate the isospin dependence of pseudospin symmetry in the chain of tin isotopes (from 120Sn until 170Sn). Using a Woods-Saxon parametrization of the nuclear potential for these isotopes we study in detail the effect of the vector-isovector ½ and Coulomb potentials in the energy splittings of neutron and proton pseudospin partners in the isotopic chain. We conclude that the realization of nuclear pseudospin symmetry does not change considerably with the mass number, and is always favored for neutrons. We also find that the ½ potential accounts for essentially all the pseudospin isospin asymmetry observed and that the Coulomb potential plays a negligible role in this asymmetry. This can be explained by the dynamical nature of pseudospin symmetry in nuclei, namely the dependence of the pseudospin splittings on the shape of the nuclear mean-field potential.