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THE ATOMIC NUCLEUS: core of matter, fuel of stars
galaxy
1021 m
Gravitational Force
General Relativity
matter
10-1 m
DNA
10-8 m
Electromagnetic Force
QED
crystal
10-9 m
Weak Force
Standard Model
Strong Force
atom
10-10 m
atomic
nucleus
10-14 m
nucleon
10-15 m
QCD
<10-18 m
electron
quark
quark-gluon
plasma
The Physics of Nuclei
involves many diverse
phenomena at vastly
Atomicscales,
nucleus:
different
from
elementary entities to
Z
protons,
N neutrons
stellar
objects
Complex many-body
system where three
interactions
(strong,
The hierarchy
of
weak and Coulomb
decreasing
dimensions:
forces)
come
into play
from galaxies to quarks,
Verythrough
dense the
matter:
Earth,
99.9% of atomic mass
molecules, atoms and
(a tablespoon of nuclear matter would
weigh as much nuclei
as 3000 aircraft carriers)
THE ORIGIN OF NUCLEI: we are all made of stardust
On Earth today:
only stable nuclei
 very small fraction of all
possible (Z,N) !!
15 billion years
1 billion years
time
Heavier elements:
300.000 years
created in nuclear reactions
in stars and in stellar
3 minutes
explosions, going on ...
have
a successful description of the nuclei
1 We
thousandth
of a second
we know but …
After the Big Bang:
our understanding of the effective
interaction
 quarks
& gluons in
 then hadrons
nuclei is limited and possibly flawed
 then H &with
He [Li,Be]
e.g. little known about the dependence
asymmetry (N−Z)∕(N+Z)
THE ADVENT OF RADIOACTIVE ION BEAMS (RIB):
‘gene pool’ of nuclei on Earth brings a new era
New phenomena observed  physics of weakly bound
Progress in accelerator
quantum systems
and detector technology
Theorists served with an unprecedented wealth of data
makes a bold leap forward
that challenges the best of nuclear models!
possible:
production of exotic nuclei with very different N, Z numbers
from the known isotopes achieved with RIB facilities
 experiments start unveiling the properties of short
lived, weakly bound nuclei far from stability
 extend our knowledge of nuclear structure
Major next generation facilities planned or underway in
Europe (GSI, EURISOL), the USA (RIA), Japan (RIKEN), ...
THE ADVENT OF RADIOACTIVE ION BEAMS (RIB):
‘gene pool’ of nuclei on Earth brings a new era
New phenomena observed  physics of weakly bound
quantum systems
Theorists served with an unprecedented wealth of data
that challenges the best of nuclear models!
● Goals for Nuclear Structure Theory:
Identify/investigate many-body methods that will extend to
exotic nuclei
Generate improved effective interactions
Make reliable predictions
Guide experimental efforts
Pursue interdisciplinary overlaps (e.g., with astrophysics)
THE SCIENCE CASE OF EXOTIC NUCLEI:
at the shores of the nuclear landscape
terra incognita
less than 300 stable
known nuclei
THE SCIENCE CASE OF EXOTIC NUCLEI:
at the shores of the nuclear landscape
neutron stars
Stable nuclei:
protons
Unstable nuclei:
neutrons
Physics at the
neutron drip line:
unconventional is normal
NUCLEAR EQUATION OF STATE:
from terrestrial matter to compact stars
SCENES FROM THE SKIES:
Watch an artist’s vision of a city-sized neutron star as it
ploughs through the skies centered in a disk of hot plasma
drawn from its enfeebled red companion star:
… ravenously accreting material from the disk, the neutron
star spins faster and faster emitting powerful particle beams
and X-ray pulses as it rotates 400 times a second ...
 Neutron star movie
FROM QCD TO HEAVY NUCLEI:
theory advances building bridges
REMARKS:
•Studies in the past mostly restricted to
stable nuclei with N∕Z= 1 - 1.5
•One of the main thrusts in nuclear physics today:
synthesize and study the most exotic nuclear
species at the very boundaries of stability
•Field is vital and intensely active,
in rapid advance worldwide
•This is Physics in Action:
newest experiments reveal need for an improved
many-body theory of the nucleus, which in turn can
guide the experimental efforts
•Interdisciplinary science.
Important for astrophysics and the events that
shape the fate of the Cosmos in the core of stars
REMARKS:
•Studies in the past mostly restricted to
stable nuclei with N∕Z= 1 - 1.5
…ultimately
‘Bringing
Heavens Down to
•Field is vital and intensely active,
in rapid Earth’
advance worldwide
!
•One of the main thrusts in nuclear physics today:
synthesize and study the most exotic nuclear
species at the very boundaries of stability
•This is Physics in Action:
newest experiments reveal need for an improved
many-body theory of the nucleus, which in turn can
guide the experimental efforts
•Interdisciplinary science.
Important for astrophysics and the events that
shape the fate of the Cosmos in the core of stars
Further information:
• http://www.gsi.de/GSI-Future/cdr
http://www.gsi.de/zukunftsprojekt/index_e.html
The GSI upgrade project
Credits: this presentation uses pictures and figures taken from the
• http://www.orau.org/ria/
The RIA (Rare Isotope Accelerator) project
GSI and RIA links as well as from other websites which provide
information related to the fields of exotic nuclei and astrophysics.