Coexistence of nuclear shapes: self-consistent mean-field and beyond

• Published in: Journal of physics. G, Nuclear and particle physics Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 24005 - 24026
• Main Authors: Li, Z P, Nikši, T, Vretenar, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Accessibility; collective Hamiltonian model; Decay; Evolution; Excitation spectra; nuclear energy density functionals, coexistence of nuclear shapes; Nuclei; Particle physics; Quantitative analysis; Rare earth metals
• ISSN: 0954-3899; 1361-6471
• DOI: 10.1088/0954-3899/43/2/024005

A quantitative analysis of the evolution of nuclear shapes and shape phase transitions, including regions of short-lived nuclei that are becoming accessible in experiments at radioactive-beam facilities, necessitate accurate modeling of the underlying nucleonic dynamics. Important theoretical advances have recently been made in studies of complex shapes and the corresponding excitation spectra and electromagnetic decay patterns, especially in the 'beyond mean-field' framework based on nuclear density functionals. Interesting applications include studies of shape evolution and coexistence in N = 28 isotones, the structure of lowest 0+ excitations in deformed N 90 rare-earth nuclei, and quadrupole and octupole shape transitions in thorium isotopes.