Shapes and Shells in Nuclear Structure

There are a variety of models which can be used to study nuclear structure and dynamics. This book gives a comprehensive overview of these various models, concentrating in particular on a description of deformed and rotating nuclei. Following a treatment of the semi-empirical mass formula and nuclear stability, the liquid-drop and simple shell models are introduced and described. The spherical nuclear one-particle potential is introduced and developed to cover the case of deformed nuclei. The latter chapters of the book are devoted to discussions of barrier penetration, fast nuclear rotation, nucleon-nucleon interactions and the pairing interaction. Many problems and solutions are included, which help to illustrate key concepts. The book will be invaluable to graduate students of nuclear physics, and to anyone engaged in research in this field.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Charge and matter distribution in nuclei
• 3. The semi-empirical mass formula and nuclear stability
• 4. Nuclear fission and the liquid-drop model
• 5. Shell structure and magic numbers
• 6. The nuclear one-particle potential in the spherical case
• 7. The magnetic dipole moment and electric quadrupole moment for nuclei with closed shells +/- one nucleon
• 8. Single-particle orbitals in deformed nuclei
• 9. The shell correction method and the nuclear deformation energy
• 10. The barrier penetration problem – fission and alpha-decay
• 11. Rotational bands – the particle-rotor model
• 12. Fast nuclear rotation – the cranking model
• 13. The nucleon-nucleon two-body interaction
• 14. The pairing interaction
• Solutions to exercises.