Nuclear structure & decays is a research area in nuclear physics that investigates the internal configuration, quantum states, and dynamical behavior of atomic nuclei, along with the mechanisms by which unstable nuclei transform via radioactive decay. It encompasses the development and application of models such as shell, collective, and mean-field theories to describe nucleon distributions, energy levels, and transition probabilities, and studies decay modes including alpha, beta, gamma, and fission processes. The field integrates experimental spectroscopy, reaction studies, and advanced many-body calculations to elucidate nuclear forces, shape coexistence, isomerism, and the evolution of structure far from stability, informing both fundamental theory and applications in astrophysics and nuclear technology.
Neutrons are among the basic building blocks of matter. As long as they are part of a stable atomic nucleus, they can stay there for arbitrary periods of time. However, the situation is different for free neutrons: They decay—after ...
General Physics
Oct 16, 2024
3
424
The atomic nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons, particles that exist through the interaction of quarks bonded by gluons. It would seem, therefore, that it should not be difficult to reproduce all the properties of ...
General Physics
Oct 15, 2024
5
11395
The word magic is not often used in the context of science. But in the early 1930s, scientists discovered that some atomic nuclei—the center part of atoms, which make up all matter—were more stable than others. These nuclei ...
General Physics
Oct 8, 2024
1
231
Researchers have introduced a model based on the Langevin equation that offers new insights into the formation of exotic nuclei. This development could enhance the ability to produce rare isotopes that are valuable for various ...
General Physics
Sep 30, 2024
0
97
Researchers from the Department of Physics of the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) have found new information about the strength of the so-called magic neutron number 50 shell closure in the silver isotope chain.
General Physics
Sep 27, 2024
0
134
Scientists at CERN have discovered an ultra-rare particle decay process, opening a new path to find physics beyond our understanding of how the building blocks of matter interact.
General Physics
Sep 24, 2024
0
380
A research team has used a machine learning approach to investigate the evolution of shell structure for nuclei far from the stability valley. The study, published in Physics Letters B and conducted by researchers from the ...
General Physics
Sep 18, 2024
0
100
Scientists use atomic clocks to measure the "second," the smallest standard unit of time, with great precision. These clocks use natural oscillations of electrons in atoms, similar to how pendulums work in old grandfather ...
General Physics
Sep 13, 2024
0
164
A team of scientists has made significant progress in the ongoing quest to create new, long-lasting superheavy nuclei. These double magic nuclei, characterized by a precise number of protons and neutrons that form a highly ...
General Physics
Sep 9, 2024
0
246
The world keeps time with the ticks of atomic clocks, but a new type of clock under development—a nuclear clock—could revolutionize how we measure time and probe fundamental physics.
General Physics
Sep 4, 2024
3
230
