Asymptotic normalization coefficients from ab initio calculations

Abstract: We present calculations of asymptotic normalization coefficients (ANCs) for one-nucleon removals from nuclear states of mass numbers 3 to 9. Our ANCs were computed from variational Monte Carlo solutions to the many-body Schroedinger equation with the combined Argonne v18 two-nucleon and Urbana IX three-nucleon potentials. Instead of computing explicit overlap integrals, we applied a Green's function method that is insensitive to the difficulties of constructing and Monte Carlo sampling the long-range tails of the variational wave functions. This method also allows computation of the ANC at the physical separation energy, even when it differs from the separation energy for the Hamiltonian. We compare our results, which for most nuclei are the first ab initio calculations of ANCs, with existing experimental and theoretical results and discuss further possible applications of the technique.