Speaker
Description
At high temperatures, quantum shell effects in atomic nuclei diminish. Nuclear stability is then described by classical surface tension and Coulomb repulsion. As angular momentum increases, Coriolis and centrifugal forces drive shape transitions. Historically, similar phenomena were predicted for rotating stellar objects. These include the Jacobi instability (oblate to triaxial ellipsoid transition) and the Poincare instability (triaxial to pear-shape transition). Liquid drop models predict these transitions in hot, rotating nuclei. Specifically, the Lublin-Strasbourg Drop (LSD) model facilitated the experimental discovery of the Jacobi transition and the prediction of the Poincare transition.
This talk presents key highlights of the collaboration between Jerzy Dudek and experimental groups on these nuclear shape transitions.