The origin of strong proton-neutron correlations revealed in break-up reactions, Mihai Horoi, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA − Proton-neutron correlations in nuclei can be explained in part by isoscalar and isovector pairing that can be described using a mean-field approach.  Shell model techniques reveal additional strong proton-neutron correlations that were recently observed in neutron transfer reactions.  I will discuss and identify the elements of the effective shell model Hamiltonian that are responsible for these strong correlations.  I will also show that the observed $1^+0$ and $0+1$ low-lying states in odd-odd nuclei are geometrically favored by a simple two-body random ensemble model.

Support from NSF grant PHY-1068217 is acknowledged.