\ i | INTRODUCTION On first coming into contact with the basics of nuclear physics, it is a good idea to obtain a feeling for the range of energies, densities, temperatures and forces that are acting on the level of the atomic nucleus. In figure I.1, we introduce an energy scale placing the nucleus relative to solid state chemistry scales, the atomic energy scale and, higher in energy, the scale of masses for the elementary particles. In the nucleus, the lower energy Processes can come down to 1 keV; thGtev@igy- distance b excited. states in SG thads nwvlel ahd X-ray or electron-conversion processes Sane TOD’ MeV, the energy needed to'induce collisions between heavy nuclei. In figure 1.2 the density scale is shown. This points towards the extreme density of atomic huclei compared to more ordinary objects such as most solid materials. Even densities in most celestial objects (regular stars) are much lower. Only in certain types of stars—neutron stars that can be compared to huge atomic nuclei (see chapter 7)—do analogous densities show up. ‘The forces at work and the different strength scales, as well as ranges on which they act and the specific aspects in physics where they. dominate, are presented in figure 1.3. It is Clear that it is mainly the strong force between nucleons or, at a deeper level, the strong force between the nucleon constituents (quarks) that determines the binding of atomic nuclei. Electromagnetic effects cannot be ignored in determining the nuclear stability since a numiber of protons occur in a smnall region of space. The weak force, responsible for beta-decay processes, also cannot be neglected. In attempting a description of bound nuclei (a collection of A strongly interacting nucleons) in terms of the nucleon-nucleon interaction and of processes where nuclear states decay via the emission of particles or electromagnetic radiation, one has to make Constant use of the*quantum-mechanical apparatus that governs both the bound (E < 0) LY CLalon emney [EXCITATION ENERGY NUCLEI SOLIDSTATE ATOMS os CHEMISTRY 1k 300K__CENTRE OF THE SUN @rlor J Sum Figure L1. Typical range of excitation energies spanning from the soli yclementary particles. In addition, a few related temperatures are indicated.os OgINTRODUCTION SOLIDSTATE WHTEOWARE NEUTRON STAR BLACK ne 1 [1 gent | 10} |_| 0 water [DENSITY NUCLEAR MATTER Wwale7 Mure 12. Typical range of densities spanning the interval from the solid state phase into more ekotic situations like a black hole. ™m Vise CF Lool 30m agawlo e, 4) i IS | gg Y Sam Bes i —m be. 10 1) ~39 td i i ) t es i oO Pf! | wean gl) xamnonas wt Grass ' Woale Figure L: ‘Schematic illustration of the ‘very different distance scales over which the four basic interaction$ act. A typical illustration for those four interactions is given at the same time. Relative interaction strengths atp also sown, and unbound (E > 0) nuclear regime. Even though the n-n interaction, attractive part and repulsive core part (figure 1.4), mean-free path in the nuclear medium, cis the connection between the non-rel with a short range Would not immediately suggest a large 8 quite regular average field becomes manifest. lativisitic A-nucleon interacting Hamiltonian A 4 , A Hoe EL ty ve, 1) arm Gah rs 1 Deleona by