Atomic nuclei being Smashed together reveal their shapes

Imaging the shape of atomic nuclei using high-energy collisions and debris photometry: a new method to explore the differences between oxygen and neon

An atomic nucleus is composed of two particles, protons and neutrons. The particles are usually shaped to reduce the energy of the system. The nucleus can take on a wide range of shapes, including that of a pear, peanut shell or American football. A nucleus’s shape is “very hard to predict from theory”, says Jia. It can also change over time owing to quantum fluctuations.

The method would be used to study the differences between oxygen and neon. Oxygen nuclei are nearly spherical, whereas neon nuclei — which carry an extra two protons and two neutrons — are thought to bulge out. Comparing their shapes would allow researchers to understand how protons and neutrons form clusters in the nuclei, says Jia.

In the past, shape explorations included removing low-energy ion from the nucleus. Coulomb excitation uses energy from the nucleus to emit radiation back to the ground state, which shows the shape of the nucleus. The timescale is long and this kind of image can only show the average of the changes in shape.

The French Alternative energies and Atomic Energy Commission says that it is fascinating that it worked and that the other nuclear processes did not influence the emission of particles or the deformation.

Physicists have revealed a new technique to image the shape of atomic nuclei — by smashing them together. The nucleus of an atom doesn’t really resemble what is shown in textbooks — they actually come in a variety of shapes, which drive an element’s behaviour. Current methods essentially take a long-exposure photo of an atom’s nucleus, which doesn’t capture the subtle variations in how the protons and neutrons arrange themselves. The new method involves collision of nuclei and use of information on debris to determine the shape of the nucleus. The researchers hope that this technique can help physicists resolve many more mysteries about atomic nuclei.

The high-energy collision method has an instant snapshot of the nucleus during impact. It is more suited for studying exotic shapes, as it is a direct method.

Physicists have found a new way to study the shape of atomic nuclei — by obliterating them in high-energy collisions. The method could help scientists to better understand nuclei’s shapes, which, for example, influence the rate at which elements form in stars and help to determine which materials make the best nuclear fuel.

The team at the RHIC wrecked two beams of Uranium- 218 and two beams of gold at the extreme levels that they can reach. The scientists melted the nuclei into a soup after hitting them so hard.

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