[Prex] Resolving the PREX-CREX puzzle in covariant density functional theory

[Jay Benesch]

https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.15385

Resolving the PREX-CREX puzzle in covariant density functional theory

Mengying Qiu, Tong-Gang Yue, Zhen Zhang, Lie-Wen Chen

The PREX-CREX puzzle, an apparent tension between parity-violating 
electron-scattering results for Pb and Ca revealed by modern 
density functional analyses, has posed a major challenge for nuclear 
theory. We show that this puzzle can be resolved within covariant 
density-dependent point-coupling density functional theory by 
introducing an enhanced isovector tensor coupling. A nonrelativistic 
reduction identifies the resulting strong isovector spin-orbit 
interaction as the key mechanism that reconciles the PREX and CREX 
measurements.

Comments:	19 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables. Comments are welcome
Subjects:	Nuclear Theory (nucl-th); Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex)