Superdeformation: An experimental review

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5590851

Janssens, R V.F.

The discovery of a superdeformed (SD) band of 19 discrete transitions in the nucleus {sup 152}Dy is at the origin of the formidable experimental and theoretical effort which has allowed for much progress in the unraveling of the main properties of superdeformation. Over the last five years, many unexpected features have been discovered. In fact, just as soon as a new feature has been explained invariably the next observation has highlighted another surprising phenomenon. The net result of all the activity has been a dramatic increase of our understanding of rapidly rotating nuclei. The organizers of this conference have asked me to review the present status of the field: this is clearly an impossible task within the allowed space and time. Fortunately, the subject has recently been reviewed on several occasions, and therefore, I will only attempt to present here some of the general features that have emerged thus far, and discuss some of the important open questions. The discussion will be restricted to SD nuclei in the A=150 and A=190 regions, i.e. to the nuclei with the largest quadrupole deformations and will address four main issues. First, the evidence for the stiffness of the SD minimum will be reviewed. This section will be followed by discussions on the role of pairing and of specific quasiparticle configurations in the second well. Evidence for other effects at large deformation will be addressed in the section as well. The discussion will then address the issue of the so-called identical bands'' and will conclude with a brief presentation on the feeding and decay of SD nuclei. 57 refs., 9 figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5590851
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP-73370; CONF-9106196--3; ON: DE91015566
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

651820* -- Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=150-189
Experimental
651920 -- Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=190-219
Experimental
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DECAY
DEFORMATION
DEFORMED NUCLEI
DYSPROSIUM 152
DYSPROSIUM ISOTOPES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE
ISOTOPES
MOMENT OF INERTIA
MULTIPOLES
NUCLEAR DECAY
NUCLEAR DEFORMATION
NUCLEI
QUADRUPOLES
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RARE EARTH NUCLEI
STABILITY