Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: Exploring the Shapes of Exotic Nuclei
October 01, 2026
October 01, 2026
LIVERMORE, California, Oct. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Exploring the shapes of exotic nuclei
In the conventional diagram of an atom, the center depicts a nucleus -- a spherical cluster of protons and neutrons. But that sphere is a simplification: nuclei can deform into exotic shapes that appear more like a pear, football or frisbee. Understanding why and when nuclei distort is c . . .
* * *
Exploring the shapes of exotic nuclei
In the conventional diagram of an atom, the center depicts a nucleus -- a spherical cluster of protons and neutrons. But that sphere is a simplification: nuclei can deform into exotic shapes that appear more like a pear, football or frisbee. Understanding why and when nuclei distort is c . . .