Linked Life Data

17960237

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/17960237

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7165
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-10-25
pubmed:abstractText
A fundamental question in nuclear physics is what combinations of neutrons and protons can make up a nucleus. Many hundreds of exotic neutron-rich isotopes have never been observed; the limit of how many neutrons a given number of protons can bind is unknown for all but the lightest elements, owing to the delicate interplay between single particle and collective quantum effects in the nucleus. This limit, known as the neutron drip line, provides a benchmark for models of the atomic nucleus. Here we report a significant advance in the determination of this limit: the discovery of two new neutron-rich isotopes--40Mg and 42Al--that are predicted to be drip-line nuclei. In the past, several attempts to observe 40Mg were unsuccessful; moreover, the observation of 42Al provides an experimental indication that the neutron drip line may be located further towards heavier isotopes in this mass region than is currently believed. In stable nuclei, attractive pairing forces enhance the stability of isotopes with even numbers of protons and neutrons. In contrast, the present work shows that nuclei at the drip line gain stability from an unpaired proton, which narrows the shell gaps and provides the opportunity to bind many more neutrons.
pubmed:commentsCorrections
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:status
PubMed-not-MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
1476-4687
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
25
pubmed:volume
449
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1022-4
pubmed:year
2007
pubmed:articleTitle
Discovery of 40Mg and 42Al suggests neutron drip-line slant towards heavier isotopes.
pubmed:affiliation
National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA. baumann@nscl.msu.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.