The congruence energy: a contribution to nuclear masses, deformation energies and fission barriers

The difference between measured binding energies and those calculated using a shell- and pairing-corrected Thomas-Fermi model can be described approximately by C( I) = −10 exp(−4.2{ I}) MeV, where I = ( N - Z)/ A. Our interpretation of this extra binding is in terms of the granularity of quantal nuc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nuclear physics. A 1997, Vol.612 (2), p.249-261
Main Authors: Myers, W.D., Swiatecki, W.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The difference between measured binding energies and those calculated using a shell- and pairing-corrected Thomas-Fermi model can be described approximately by C( I) = −10 exp(−4.2{ I}) MeV, where I = ( N - Z)/ A. Our interpretation of this extra binding is in terms of the granularity of quantal nucleonic density distributions, which leads to a stronger interaction for a neutron and proton with congruent nodal structures of their wave functions. The predicted doubling of this congruence energy in fission is supported by an analysis of measured fission barriers and by a study of wave functions in a dividing Hill-Wheeler box potential. A semi-empirical formula for the shape-dependent congruence energy is described.
ISSN:0375-9474
DOI:10.1016/S0375-9474(97)80014-0