Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov description of the deformed N = 28 region

Ground-state properties of neutron-rich $N \approx 28$ nuclei are described in the framework of Relativistic Hartree Bogoliubov (RHB) theory. The model uses the NL3 effective interaction in the mean-field Lagrangian, and describes pairing correlations by the pairing part of the finite range Gogny interaction D1S. Two-neutron separation energies and ground-state quadrupole deformations that result from fully self-consistent RHB solutions, are compared with available experimental data. The model predicts a strong suppression of the spherical N=28 shell gap for neutron-rich nuclei: the $1f7/2 \to fp$ core breaking results in deformed ground states. Shape coexistence is expected for neutron-rich Si, S and Ar isotopes.