Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy

Raeder, S; Ackermann, D; Backe, H; Beerwerth, R; Berengut, JC; Block, M; Borschevsky, A; Cheal, B; Chhetri, P; Düllmann, Ch E; Dzuba, VA; Eliav, E; Even, J; Ferrer Garcia, R; Flambaum, VV; Fritzsche, S; Giacoppo, F; Götz, S; Heßberger, FP; Huyse, M; Kaldor, U; Kaleja, O; Khuyagbaatar, J; Kunz, P; Laatiaoui, M; Lautenschläger, F; Lauth, W; Mistry, AK; Minaya Ramirez, E; Nazarewicz, W; Porsev, SG; Safronova, MS; Safronova, UI; Schuetrumpf, B; Van Duppen, P; Walther, T; Wraith, C; Yakushev, A

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.232503

Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy

Author:

Raeder, S

Ackermann, D ; Backe, H ; Beerwerth, R ; Berengut, JC ; Block, M ; Borschevsky, A ; Cheal, B ; Chhetri, P ; Düllmann, Ch E ; Dzuba, VA ; Eliav, E ; Even, J ; Ferrer Garcia, R ; Flambaum, VV ; Fritzsche, S ; Giacoppo, F ; Götz, S ; Heßberger, FP ; Huyse, M ; Kaldor, U ; Kaleja, O ; Khuyagbaatar, J ; Kunz, P ; Laatiaoui, M ; Lautenschläger, F ; Lauth, W ; Mistry, AK ; Minaya Ramirez, E ; Nazarewicz, W ; Porsev, SG ; Safronova, MS ; Safronova, UI ; Schuetrumpf, B ; Van Duppen, P ; Walther, T ; Wraith, C ; Yakushev, A

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Physics, Multidisciplinary, Physics, SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS, IN-BEAM, NUCLEAR, 01 Mathematical Sciences, 02 Physical Sciences, 09 Engineering, General Physics, 40 Engineering, 49 Mathematical sciences, 51 Physical sciences

Abstract:

Until recently, ground-state nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei could only be inferred from nuclear spectroscopy, where model assumptions are required. Laser spectroscopy in combination with modern atomic structure calculations is now able to probe these moments directly, in a comprehensive and nuclear-model-independent way. Here we report on unique access to the differential mean-square charge radii of ^{252,253,254}No, and therefore to changes in nuclear size and shape. State-of-the-art nuclear density functional calculations describe well the changes in nuclear charge radii in the region of the heavy actinides, indicating an appreciable central depression in the deformed proton density distribution in ^{252,254}No isotopes. Finally, the hyperfine splitting of ^{253}No was evaluated, enabling a complementary measure of its (quadrupole) deformation, as well as an insight into the neutron single-particle wave function via the nuclear spin and magnetic moment.