Periodicity of atomic structure in a Thomas-Fermi mean-field model

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Bjerg, August, Solovej, Jan Philip
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Bjerg, August
Solovej, Jan Philip
author_facet Bjerg, August
Solovej, Jan Philip
contents We consider a Thomas-Fermi mean-field model for large neutral atoms. That is, Schrödinger operators $H_Z^{\text{TF}}=-Δ-Φ_Z^{\text{TF}}$ in three-dimensional space, where $Z$ is the nuclear charge of the atom and $Φ_Z^{\text{TF}}$ is a mean-field potential coming from the Thomas-Fermi density functional theory for atoms. For any sequence $Z_n\to\infty$ we prove that the corresponding sequence $H_{Z_n}^{\text{TF}}$ is convergent in the strong resolvent sense if and only if $D_{\text{cl}}Z_n^{1/3}$ is convergent modulo $1$ for a universal constant $D_{\text{cl}}$. This can be interpreted in terms of periodicity of large atoms. We also characterize the possible limiting operators (infinite atoms) as a periodic one-parameter family of self-adjoint extensions of $-Δ-C_\infty\vert\,x\,\vert^{-4}$ for an explicit number $C_\infty$.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_19839
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Periodicity of atomic structure in a Thomas-Fermi mean-field model
Bjerg, August
Solovej, Jan Philip
Mathematical Physics
81V45 (Primary), 81Q20 (Secondary)
We consider a Thomas-Fermi mean-field model for large neutral atoms. That is, Schrödinger operators $H_Z^{\text{TF}}=-Δ-Φ_Z^{\text{TF}}$ in three-dimensional space, where $Z$ is the nuclear charge of the atom and $Φ_Z^{\text{TF}}$ is a mean-field potential coming from the Thomas-Fermi density functional theory for atoms. For any sequence $Z_n\to\infty$ we prove that the corresponding sequence $H_{Z_n}^{\text{TF}}$ is convergent in the strong resolvent sense if and only if $D_{\text{cl}}Z_n^{1/3}$ is convergent modulo $1$ for a universal constant $D_{\text{cl}}$. This can be interpreted in terms of periodicity of large atoms. We also characterize the possible limiting operators (infinite atoms) as a periodic one-parameter family of self-adjoint extensions of $-Δ-C_\infty\vert\,x\,\vert^{-4}$ for an explicit number $C_\infty$.
title Periodicity of atomic structure in a Thomas-Fermi mean-field model
topic Mathematical Physics
81V45 (Primary), 81Q20 (Secondary)
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.19839