Physics of Atomic Nuclei [Hardcover]

This advanced textbook presents an extensive and diverse study of low-energy nuclear physics considering the nucleus as a quantum system of strongly interacting constituents.
The contents guide students from the basic facts and ideas to more modern topics including important developments over the last 20 years, resulting in a comprehensive collection of major modern-day nuclear models otherwise unavailable in the current literature. The book emphasizes the common features of the nucleus and other many-body mesoscopic systems currently in the center of interest in physics. The authors have also included full problem sets that can be selected by lecturers and adjusted to specific interests for more advanced students, with many chapters containing links to freely available computer code. As a result, readers are equipped for scientific work in mesoscopic physics.

Dedication xiii

Preface xv

1 Building Blocks and Interactions 1

1.1 What Are the Nuclei Made Of? 1

1.2 Proton and Neutron 3

1.3 Strong Interactions 4

1.4 Electromagnetic Interactions and Charge Distribution 5

1.5 Magnetic Properties 10

1.6 Weak Interactions 11

1.7 Neutron Decay 13

1.8 NuclearWorld 15

References 19

2 Isospin 21

2.1 Quantum Numbers in the Two-Body Problem 21

2.2 Introducing Isospin 23

2.3 Isospin Invariance 25

2.4 Space–Spin Symmetry and Isospin Invariance 26

2.5 Glimpse of a More General Picture 30

2.6 Relations between Cross Sections 31

2.7 Selection Rules 35

2.8 Isobaric Mass Formulae 38

References 41

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