Merging of single-particle levels in finite Fermi systems

Properties of the distribution of single-particle levels adjacent to the Fermi surface in finite Fermi systems are studied, focusing on the case in which these levels are degenerate. The interaction of the quasiparticles occupying these levels lifts the degeneracy and affects the distance between the closest levels on opposite sides of the Fermi surface, as the number of particles in the system is varied. In addition to the familiar scenario of level crossing, a new phenomenon is uncovered, in which the merging of single-particle levels results in the disappearance of well-defined single-particle excitations. Implications of this finding are discussed for nuclear, solid-state, and atomic systems.