Analysis of Nuclear Structure Properties and Stellar β-decay Rates of Even–Even ^106–120Zr Isotopes

Abstract The nuclear ground state properties of even–even 106–120 Zr nuclei have been investigated within the framework of the relativistic mean field (RMF) approach. The RMF model with density-dependent DDME2 and DDPC1 interactions is utilized for the calculation of potential energy curves, the nuclear ground-state deformation parameters ( β 2 ), neutron separation energies ( S n and S 2 n ) and neutron skin thickness ( r np ) of selected Zr isotopes. Later, the β -decay properties of Zr isotopes were studied using the proton-neutron quasi-particle random phase approximation (pn-QRPA) model. These include Gamow–Teller strength distributions, β -decay half-lives and stellar electron emission/positron capture rates. The β 2 values computed from the RMF model were employed in the pn-QRPA model as an input parameter for the calculations of β -decay properties for even–even 106–120 Zr nuclei. The stellar rates were computed using the pn-QRPA framework with three different types of deformation parameters. Only at high temperature ( T 9 ≥ 2) and low density ( ρ Y e ≤ 10 7 g cm −3 ) values, the sum of electron emission and positron capture rates has a sizeable contribution (with positive exponents) to the stellar rates.