Colloquium

Nuclei, quantum phase transitions, and mesoscopic systems

Dr. Mark A. Caprio
Yale University

Wednesday, November 29, 2006   4:00 p.m.  NSH 118

(Refreshments at 3:30 p.m. NSH 202)

 

Many of the defining structural features of nuclei are governed by collective phenomena, or cooperative motion of the constituent protons and neutrons. Such phenomena include nuclear deformation, rotation, and vibration. This colloquium will provide an introduction to the essential theoretical constructs involved in understanding nuclear collectivity, incuding algebraic models and quantum phase transitions. Recent developments in the study of quantum phase transitions in nuclei, with an emphasis on how these are influenced by the mesoscopic nature of the nucleus (finite size effects and scaling behavior), will be highlighted. The experimental manifestation of quantum phase transitions in nuclei will be explored.