Nuclear Structure far from Stability: New Physics and New Technology, Course CLXIX

Abstract

The aim of this publication is to give an account of recent advances and new perspectives in the study of nuclei far from stability both from the experimental and the theoretical points of view. Experimental studies of exotic nuclei are currently being performed in several laboratories and new facilities with high-intensity beams are either just completed, or approved and under construction or in their planning stages. The bulk of the contributions in this book is devoted to nuclear structure models and teir derivation from the basic nucleon-nucleon interaction. Three models are extensively discussed: the shell model, the interacting boson model and the cluster model. In recent years, considerable advance has been made in ab initio theories of nuclei, espcially of light nuclei. These are included as well, thus providing a comprehensive view of the present status of nuclear structure theory. Also discussed is the occurrence of dynamic symmetries and super-symmetries in nuclei - including the newly suggestd 'critica' symmetries which occur in transitional nuclei when the shape changes from spherical to deformed. Nuclei far from stability are of particular importance for astrophysics, especially for the r-process. Nuclear astrophysics was reviewed in detail including a discussion of energy generation in stars and nucleo-synthesis of elements