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The potential sub-shell closures N = 32 and N = 34 are analyzed at high spins in the titanium isotopes within the generalized beyond mean field theory considering triaxial deformations and the angular frequency as generator coordinates together with the particle number and the angular momentum conservation. A good description of bulk properties, high angular momenta spectra and transition probabilities is obtained. The outcome at high spin in these nuclei is consistent with the magic number character of N = 32 but not of N = 34., Comment: Published: Phys. Lett. B804 (2020) 135359

We present a self-consistent theory for the description of the spectroscopic properties of odd nuclei which includes exact blocking, particle-number and angular-momentum projection and configuration mixing. In our theory the pairing correlations are treated in a variation-after-projection approach and the triaxial deformation parameters are explicitly considered as generator coordinates. The angular-momentum and particle-number symmetries are exactly recovered. The use of the effective finite-range density-dependent Gogny force in the calculations provides an added value to the theoretical results. We apply the theory to the textbook example of 25Mg and, although this nucleus has been thoroughly studied in the past, we still provide a novel view of nuclear phenomena taking place in this nucleus. We obtain an overall good agreement with the known experimental energies and transition probabilities without any additional parameter such as effective charges. In particular, we clearly identify six bands, two of which we interpret as collective gamma bands., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

The deformation parameters beta and gamma together with the two-quasiparticle excitations are taken into account, for the first time, as coordinates within a symmetry conserving (angular momentum and particle number) generator coordinate method. The simultaneous consideration of collective as well as single particle degrees of freedom allows us to describe soft and rigid nuclei as well as the transition region in between. We apply the new theory to the study of the spectra and transition probabilities of the 156-172Er isotopes with a Pairing plus Quadrupole residual interaction. Good agreement with the experimental results is obtained for most of the observables studied and with the same quality for the very soft and the strongly deformed nuclei., Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C

We present a self-consistent theory for odd nuclei with exact blocking and particle number and angular momentum projection. The demanding treatment of the pairing correlations in a variation-after-projection approach as well as the explicit consideration of the triaxial deformation parameters in a projection after variation method, together with the use of the finite-range density-dependent Gogny force, provides an excellent tool for the description of odd-even and even-even nuclei. We apply the theory to the Magnesium isotopic chain and obtain an outstanding description of the ground-state properties, in particular binding energies, odd-even mass differences, mass radii and electromagnetic moments among others., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Let. B

We present an approach for the calculation of odd-nuclei with exact self-consistent blocking and particle number and angular momentum projection with the finite range density dependent Gogny force. As an application we calculate the nucleus $^{31}$Mg at the border of the $N=20$ inversion island. We evaluate the ground state properties, the excited states and the transition probabilities. In general we obtain a good description of the measured observables., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J. A

We present an overview of beyond mean field theories (BMFT) based on the generator coordinate method (GCM) and the recovery of symmetries used in nuclear physics with effective forces. After a reminder of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) theory a discussion of the shortcomings of any mean field approximation (MFA) is presented. The recovery of the symmetries spontaneously broken in the HFB approach, in particular the angular momentum, is necessary, among others, to describe excited states and transitions. Particle number projection is needed to guarantee the right number of protons and neutrons. Furthermore a projection before the variation prevents the pairing collapse in the weak pairing regime. The lack of fluctuations around the average values of the MFA is a shortcoming of this approach. To build in correlations in BMFT one selects the relevant degrees of freedom: quadrupole, octupole and the pairing vibrations as well as the single particle ones. In the GCM the operators representing these degrees of freedom are used as coordinates to generate a collective subspace. The highly correlated GCM wave function is finally written as a linear combination of a projected basis of this space. The variation of the coefficients of the linear combination leads to the Hill-Wheeler equation. We discuss the classical beta and gamma vibrations by considering the quadrupole operators as coordinates. We present pairing fluctuations by considering the pairing gaps as generator coordinates. Lastly the explicit consideration of the time reversal symmetry breaking in the HFB wave function by the cranking procedure allows the alignment of nucleon pairs opening a new dimension in the BMFT calculations. Abundant calculations with the Gogny force illustrate the state-of-the-art of BMFTs with density functionals. We conclude with a thorough discussion on the potential poles of the theory., Comment: To be published in Physica Scripta as an invited comment in a focus issue to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the 1975 Nobel Prize to Aage Niels Bohr, Ben Roy Mottelson and Leo James Rainwater

The ground and first excited 0+ states of the {156-172}Er isotopes are analyzed in the framework of the generator coordinate method. The shape parameter beta is used to generate wave functions with different deformations which together with the two-quasiparticle states built on them provide a set of states. An angular momentum and particle number projection of the latter spawn the basis states of the generator coordinate method. With this ansatz and using the separable pairing plus quadrupole interaction we obtain a good agreement with the experimental spectra and E2 transition rates up to moderate spin values. The structure of the wave functions suggests that the first excited 0+ states in the soft Er isotopes are dominated by shape fluctuations, while in the well deformed Er isotopes the two-quasiparticle states are more relevant. In between both degrees of freedom are necessary ., Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review C

We present a novel nuclear energy density functional method to calculate spectroscopic properties of atomic nuclei. Intrinsic nuclear quadrupole deformations and rotational frequencies are considered simultaneously as the degrees of freedom within a symmetry conserving configuration mixing framework. The present method allows the study of nuclear states with collective and single-particle character. We calculate the fascinating structure of the semi-magic 44S nucleus as a first application of the method, obtaining an excellent quantitative agreement both with the available experimental data and with state-of-the-art shell model calculations., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

We present the first calculations of a symmetry conserving configuration mixing method (SCCM) using time-reversal symmetry breaking Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) states with the Gogny D1S interaction. The method includes particle number and tridimensional angular momentum symmetry restorations as well as configuration mixing within the generator coordinate method (GCM) framework. The nucleus $^{32}$Mg is chosen to show the performance and reliability of the calculations. Additionally, $0^{+}_{1}$, $2^{+}_{1}$ and $4^{+}_{1}$ states are computed for the magnesium isotopic chain, where a noticeable compression of the spectrum is obtained by including cranked states, leading to a very good agreement with the known experimental data., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted in Physics Letters B

Nuclear matrix elements (NME) for the most promising candidates to detect neutrinoless double beta decay have been computed with energy density functional methods including deformation and pairing fluctuations explicitly on the same footing. The method preserves particle number and angular momentum symmetries and can be applied to any decay without additional fine tunings. The finite range density dependent Gogny force is used in the calculations. An increase of $10\%-40\%$ in the NME with respect to the ones found without the inclusion of pairing fluctuations is obtained, reducing the predicted half-lives of these isotopes., Comment: 5 pages, 3 Figures

Pairing fluctuations are self-consistently incorporated on the same footing as the quadrupole deformations in present state of the art calculations including particle number and angular momentum conservation as well as configuration mixing. The approach is complemented by the use of the finite range density dependent Gogny force which, with a unique source for the particle-hole and particle-particle interactions, guarantees a self-consistent interplay in both channels. We have applied our formalism to study the role of the pairing degree of freedom in the description of the most relevant observables like spectra, transition probabilities, separation energies, etc. We find that the inclusion of pairing fluctuations mostly affects the description of excited states, depending on the excitation energy and the angular momentum. $E0$ transition probabilities experiment rather big changes while $E2$'s are less affected. Genuine pairing vibrations are thoroughly studied with the conclusion that deformations strongly inhibits their existence. These studies have been performed for a selection of nuclei: spherical, deformed and with different degree of collectivity., Comment: 23 pages, 23 Figures, To be published in Phys. Rev. C

A systematic study of 160 heavy and super-heavy nuclei is performed in the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach with the finite range and density dependent Gogny force with the D1S parameter set. We show calculations in several approximations: with axially symmetric and reflexion symmetric wave functions, with axially symmetric and non-reflexion symmetric wave functions and finally some representative examples with triaxial wave functions are also discussed. Relevant properties of the ground state and along the fission path are thoroughly analyzed. Fission barriers, Q$_\alpha$-factors and lifetimes with respect to fission and $\alpha$-decay as well as other observables are discussed. Larger configuration spaces and more general HFB wave functions as compared to previous studies provide a very good agreement with the experimental data., Comment: 26 pages, 15 figures

The influence of large amplitude pairing fluctuations is investigated in the framework of beyond mean field symmetry conserving configuration mixing calculations. In the numerical application the finite range density dependent Gogny force is used. We investigate the nucleus $^{54}$Cr with particle number and angular momentum projected wave functions considering the axial quadrupole deformation and the pairing gap degree of freedom as generator coordinates. We find that the effects of the pairing fluctuations increase with the excitation energy and the angular momentum. The self-consistency in the determination of the basis states plays an important role., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures

We study the structure of the neutron rich $^{44}$S isotope with modern configuration mixing methods based on the Gogny interaction including beyond-mean-field effects. Restoration of particle number and rotational symmetries are taken into account as well as shape mixing in the whole triaxial $(\beta_{2},\gamma)$ plane. We obtain a qualitative agreement between the calculated spectrum and the experimental data reported recently. Very extended collective wave functions in the $(\beta_2,\gamma)$ plane are found for the lowest states, corresponding to very flat potentials, indicating strong configuration mixing and supporting the weakening of the N=28 magic number., Comment: Corrected typo (level at 3248 keV)

We study the low-lying energy spectrum of the rp-process waiting point nucleus 80Zr with state-of-the-art beyond mean field methods with the Gogny D1S interaction. Symmetry restoration and configuration mixing of axial and triaxial shapes are included in the calculations. Five 0+ states corresponding to different nuclear shapes are obtained below 2.25 MeV and several rotational and {\gamma}- bands built upon them are identified. Nevertheless, these states do not modify the {\beta}-decay half-life having a negligible effect in the rp-process. A good agreement with the available experimental data is obtained., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physics Letters B

We present the first implementation in the $(\beta,\gamma)$ plane of the generator coordinate method with full triaxial angular momentum and particle number projected wave functions using the Gogny force. Technical details about the performance of the method and the convergence of the results both in the symmetry restoration and the configuration mixing parts are discussed in detail. We apply the method to the study of $^{24}$Mg, the calculated energies of excited states as well as the transition probabilities are compared to the available experimental data showing a good overall agreement. In addition, we present the RVAMPIR approach which provides a good description of the ground and gamma bands in the absence of strong mixing., Comment: 40 pages,14 figures

We study the spherical to prolate-deformed shape transition in $^{144-158}$Sm and $^{146-160}$Gd isotopes with modern calculations beyond the mean field with the Gogny D1S force. We compare the results with the shape-phase transition predicted by the collective hamiltonian model and with the experimental data. Our calculations do not support the existence of a first order phase transition in these isotopic chains in the viewpoint of the Bohr hamiltonian neither the interpretation of the nuclei N=90 as critical points., Comment: Proceeding of the XIII Conference on Capture Gamma-ray Spectroscopy and Related Topics, Cologne, 2008

We review the properties of nuclear halos and nuclear skins in drip line nuclei in the framework of the spherical Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory with continuum effects and projection on good particle number with the Gogny force. We first establish the position of the un-projected HFB drip lines for the two most employed parametrizations of the Gogny force and show that the use of finite-range interactions leads almost always to small-sized halos, even in the least bound nuclei, which is in agreement with most mean-field predictions. We also discuss the size of the neutron skin at the drip line and its relation to neutron asymmetry. The impact of particle-number projection and its conceptual consequences near the drip line are analyzed in detail. In particular, we discuss the role of the chemical potential in a projected theory and the criteria required to define the drip line. We show that including particle number projection can shift the latter, in particular near closed shells. We notice that, as a result, the size of the halo can be increased due to larger pairing correlations. However, combining the most realistic pairing interaction, a proper treatment of the continuum and particle number projection does not permit to reproduce the very large halos observed in very light nuclei., Comment: Re-submitted to Phys. Rev. C after Referee's review. Layout of figures changed to cope with editor's requirements

Recent experimental results obtained using $\beta$ decay and isomer spectroscopy indicate an unusual behaviour of the energies of the first excited 2$^{+}$ states in neutron-rich Cd isotopes approaching the N=82 shell closure. To explain the unexpected trend, changes of the nuclear structure far-off stability have been suggested, namely a quenching of the N=82 shell gap already in $^{130}$Cd, only two proton holes away from doubly magic $^{132}$Sn. We study the behaviour of the 2$^+$ energies in the Cd isotopes from N=50 to N=82, i.e. across the entire span of a major neutron shell using modern beyond mean field techniques and the Gogny force. We demonstrate that the observed low 2$^+$ excitation energy in $^{128}$Cd close to the N=82 shell closure is a consequence of the doubly magic character of this nucleus for oblate deformation favoring thereby prolate configurations rather than spherical ones., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, to be publised in Phys. Lett. B

The 1789 keV level in 30Mg was identified as the first excited 0^+ state by measuring its E0 transition to the ground state. The measured small value of rho^2(E0,0^+_2 --> 0^+_1) = 5.7(14) x 10^-3 implies a very small mixing of competing configurations with largely different intrinsic quadrupole deformation near N=20. Axially symmetric Beyond-Mean-Field configuration mixing calculations identify the ground state of 30Mg to be based on neutron configurations below the N=20 shell closure, while the excited 0^+ state mainly consists of a two neutrons excitated into the nu1 f_{7/2} orbital. Using a two-level model, a mixing amplitude of 0.08(4) can be derived., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters

The beyond mean field approximation combined with the Gogny interaction is used to analyze the spherical to prolate deformed shape transition in the Neodymium isotopic chain. The vibrator as well as the rotor limits are nicely reproduced while the transitional region is only qualitatively described probably due to the lack of triaxial correlations in the calculations. Our results do not support the interpretation of $^{150}$Nd as a critical point nucleus and question the interpretation of shape changes as nuclear shape phase transitions., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted in Phys. Lett. B

We report the first calculations of nuclear properties near the drip-lines using the spherical Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov mean-field theory with a finite-range force supplemented by continuum and particle number projection effects. Calculations were carried out in a basis made of the eigenstates of a Woods-Saxon potential computed in a box, thereby garanteeing that continuum effects were properly taken into account. Projection of the self-consistent solutions on good particle number was carried out after variation, and an approximation of the variation after projection result was used. We give the position of the drip-lines and examine neutron densities in neutron-rich nuclei. We discuss the sensitivity of nuclear observables upon continuum and particle-number restoration effects., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Phys. Rev. C77, 011301(R) (2008)

The Particle Number Projected Generator Coordinate Method is formulated for the pairing Hamiltonian in a detailed way in the projection after variation and the variation after projection methods. The dependence of the wave functions on the generator coordinate is analyzed performing numerical applications for the most relevant collective coordinates. The calculations reproduce the exact solution in the weak, crossover and strong pairing regimes. The physical insight of the Ansatz and its numerical simplicity make this theory an excellent tool to study pairing correlations in complex situations and/or involved Hamiltonians., Comment: Submitted to EPJB

The shape coexistence in the nuclei $^{182-192}$Pb is analyzed within the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach with the effective Gogny force. A good agreement with the experimental energies is found for the coexisting spherical, oblate and prolate states. Contrary to the established interpretation, it is found that the low-lying prolate and oblate $0^+$ states observed in this mass region are predominantly characterized by neutron correlations whereas the protons behave as spectators rather than playing an active role., Comment: 5 pages, 6 postscript figures

The superdeformed band of $^{36}$Ar is studied with the Gogny force D1S and the angular momentum projected generator coordinate method for the quadrupole moment. The band head excitation energy, moments of inertia, $B(E2)$ transition probabilities and stability against quadrupole fluctuations at low spin are studied. The Self Consistent Cranking method is also used to describe the superdeformed rotational band. In addition, properties of some normal deformed states are discussed., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Talk given at 10th Nuclear Physics Workshop Marie and Pierre Curie, September 24-28, 2003, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland. To be published in IJMPE

The degrees of freedom associated with shape fluctuations and space orientation of atomic nuclei are analyzed with effective forces and large configuration spaces. A pedagogical theoretical introduction to the topic of symmetries restoration broken in the mean field approach as well as to the concept of generator coordinate is presented. We discuss global properties, like binding energies, two neutron separation energies and quadrupole moments, as well as spectroscopic ones like excitation energies or transition probabilities. The analysis covers selected examples of light and heavy nuclei, as well as some examples from the stability line to the drip lines., Comment: 34 pages, 13 figures, invited lecture at 307. WE-Heraeus-Seminar, "Relativistic Structure Models for the Physics of Radioactive Nuclear Beams," May 12-16, 2003, Bad Honnef, Germany

The behavior of several nuclear properties with temperature is analyzed within the framework of the Finite Temperature Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (FTHFB) theory with the Gogny force and large configuration spaces. Thermal shape fluctuations in the quadrupole degree of freedom, around the mean field solution, are taken into account with the Landau prescription. As representative examples the nuclei $^{164}$Er, $^{152}$Dy and $^{192}$Hg are studied. Numerical results for the superfluid to normal and deformed to spherical shape transitions are presented. We found a substantial effect of the fluctuations on the average value of several observables. In particular, we get a decrease in the critical temperature ($T_c$) for the shape transition as compared with the plain FTHFB prediction as well as a washing out of the shape transition signatures. The new values of $T_c$ are closer to the ones found in Strutinsky calculations and with the Pairing Plus Quadrupole model Hamiltonian., Comment: 17 pages, 8 Figures

The angular momentum projected Generator Coordinate Method, with the quadrupole moment as collective coordinate and the Gogny force (D1S) as the effective interaction, is used to describe the properties of the ground state and low-lying excited states of the even-even Neon isotopes $^{20-34}$Ne, that is, from the stability valley up to the drip-line. It is found that the ground state of the N=20 nucleus $^{30}$Ne is deformed but to a lesser extent than the N=20 isotope of the Magnesium. In the calculations, the isotope $^{32}$Ne is at the drip-line in good agreement with other theoretical predictions. On the other hand, rather good agreement with experimental data for many observables is obtained., Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in EPJA

The evolution of the pairing correlations from closed shell to middle shell nuclei is analyzed with a Finite Range Density Dependent interaction in the Sn isotopes. As theoretical approaches we use the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov, the Lipkin-Nogami, their particle number projected counterparts and the full variation after particle number projection method. We find that whereas all approaches succeed rather well in the description of the total energy they differ significantly in the pairing correlation content of the wave functions. The description of the evolution from the weak to the strong pairing regime is also approach dependent, specially at shell closure., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures

The quadrupole deformation properties of the ground and low-lying excited states of the even-even Magnesium isotopes with N ranging from 8 to 28 have been studied in the framework of the angular momentum projected generator coordinate method with the Gogny force. It is shown that the N=8 neutron magic number is preserved (in a dynamical sense) in \nuc{20}{Mg} leading to a spherical ground state. For the magic numbers N=20 and N=28 this is not the case and prolate deformed ground states are obtained. The method yields values of the two neutron separation energies which are in much better agreement with experiment than those obtained at the mean field level. It is also obtained that \nuc{40}{Mg} is at the neutron dripline. Concerning the results for the excitation energies of the $2^+$ excited states and their transition probabilities to the ground state we observe a good agreement with the available experimental data. On the theoretical side, we also present a detailed justification of the prescription used for the density dependent part of the interaction in our beyond-mean-field calculations., Comment: 41 pages, 13 figures

The fission barriers of the nuclei 254Fm, 256Fm, 258Fm, 258No and 260Rf are investigated in a fully microscopic way up to the scission point. The analysis is based on the constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory and Gogny's D1S force. The quadrupole, octupole and hexadecapole moments as well as the number of nucleons in the neck region are used as constraints. Two fission paths, corresponding to the bimodal fission, are found. The decrease with isotope mass of the half-life times of heavy Fm isotopes is also explained., Comment: 29 pages in LaTeX including 14 figures

The particle number projection method is formulated for density dependent forces and in particular for the finite range Gogny force. Detailed formula for the projected energy and its gradient are provided. The problems arising from the neglection of any exchange term, which may lead to divergences, are throughly discussed and the possible inaccuracies estimated. Numericala results for the projection after variation method are shown for the nucleus 164Er and for the projection before variation approach for the nuclei 48-50Cr. We also confirm the Coulomb antipairing effect found in mean field theories., Comment: 33 pages, 8 figures. Submit to Nuc. Phys. A

The angular momentum projected Generator Coordinate Method using the quadrupole moment as collective coordinate and the Gogny force as the effective interaction is used to describe the properties of the ground state and low-lying excited states of the neutron rich light nuclei 32,34,36Si. It is found that the ground state of the nucleus 34Si is spherical. However, this is not only due to the N=20 shell closure as the ground state of 34Si contains a significant amount of the intruder f7/2 neutron orbital. On the other hand, rather good agreement with experimental data for many observables is obtained., Comment: Invited talk at "High Spin Physics 2001", see http://www.fuw.edu.pl/~hs2001/, to be published in Acta Physica Polonica B

A parameter free investigation of the moments of inertia of ground state rotational bands in well deformed rare-earth nuclei is carried out using Cranked Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (CRHB) and non-relativistic Cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (CHFB) theories. In CRHB theory, the relativistic fields are determined by the non-linear Lagrangian with the NL1 force and the pairing interaction by the central part of finite range Gogny D1S force. In CHFB theory, the properties in particle-hole and particle-particle channels are defined solely by Gogny D1S forces. Using an approximate particle number projection before variation by means of the Lipkin Nogami method improves the agreement with the experimental data, especially in CRHB theory. The effect of the particle number projection on the moments of inertia and pairing energies is larger in relativistic than in non-relativistic theory., Comment: 18 pages + 2 PostScript figures

We present exact Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations with the finite range density dependent Gogny force using a triaxial basis. For the first time, all contributions to the Pairing and Fock Fields arising from the Gogny and Coulomb interactions as well as the two-body correction of the kinetic energy have been calculated in this basis. We analyze the relevance of these terms in different regions of the periodic table at zero and high angular momentum. The validity of commonly used approximations that neglect different terms in the variational equations is also checked. We find a decrease of the proton pairing energies mainly due to a Coulomb antipairing effect., Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures. In press in Nucl. Physics A

Properties like the excitation energy with respect to the ground state, moments of inertia, B(E2) transition probabilities and stability against quadrupole fluctuations at low spin of the predicted superdeformed band of ^{32}S are studied with the Gogny force D1S using the angular momentum projected generator coordinate method for the axially symmetric quadrupole moment. The Self Consistent Cranking method is also used to describe the superdeformed rotational band. In addition, properties of some collective normal deformed states are discussed., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures

Properties of the ground and several collective excited states of the light nuclei ^{30,32,34}Mg are described in the framework of the angular momentum projected Generator Coordinate Method using the quadrupole moment as collective coordinate and the Gogny force as the effective interaction. The calculated excitation energies and B(E2) transition probabilities agree reasonably well with experiment. The results clearly indicate that both the restoration of the rotational symmetry and the quadrupole dynamics are key ingredients for the description of the properties of the above mentioned nuclei., Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, extended version

A microscopic angular momentum projection after variation is used to describe quadrupole collectivity in (^{30,32,34}Mg) and (^{32,34,36,38}Si). The Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov states obtained in the quadrupole constrained mean field approach are taken as intrinsic states for the projection. Excitation energies of the first (2^{+}) states and the (B(E2,0^{+}\to 2^{+})) transition probabilities are given. A reasonable agreement with available experimental data is obtained. It is also shown that the mean field picture of those nuclei is strongly modified by the projection., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Lett. B