The ${}^5\mathrm{H}$ nucleus is investigated in the generator coordinate method, using ${}^3\mathrm{H}+n+n$ three-cluster wave functions. The model is tested with the ${}^3\mathrm{H}+n$ and ${}^3\mathrm{He}+p$ properties which agree fairly well with the experimental data. The ${}^5\mathrm{H}$ energy is found to be $E\approx 3\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{MeV}$ with respect to the ${}^3\mathrm{H}+n+n$ threshold, and the neutron width is ${\Gamma }_n\approx 1–2\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{MeV}$ or ${\Gamma }_n\approx 1–4\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{MeV},$ according to the nucleon-nucleon interaction. We therefore suggest that the ${}^5\mathrm{H}$ lifetime should be larger than the ${}^4\mathrm{H}$ lifetime $({\Gamma }_n\approx 5–6\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{MeV}).\mathrm{}$

• Received 11 July 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.63.027001