Data-driven refinement of microscopic γ-ray strength functions for Nd isotopes

Abstract

The γ-ray strength function (γSF) is one of the most important components of photonuclear and radiative nuclear reaction mechanisms, describing the probability of the gamma-ray emission or absorption. Microscopic models of γSF offer a more fundamental description compared to phenomenological approaches, they cannot be flexibly adjusted to experimental data. To address this problem, a correction method for microscopic γSFs using some adjustable parameters has been implemented in the nuclear reaction codes. This work determines the optimal values of these parameters for microscopic Gogny HFB + QRPA γSF model for neodymium (Nd) isotopes by analyzing existing experimental γSF data for investigating the photonuclear reactions. The results demonstrate that by applying these adjustable parameters, the predictive accuracy of microscopic model for these reactions can be significantly improved. This improvement has important implications for various fields in nuclear physics and technology. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd.