Modern nuclear physics is a well developed branch of physical science, with wide-ranging applications of its results in engineering and industry. At the same time, the development of a consistent theory of nuclei and nuclear processes presents certain problems. It is well known that the most important aim of nuclear physics is the study of nuclear structure and the explanation of properties on the basis of the interaction between nucleons which constitute nuclei. Difficulties of a modern theory of the nucleus are caused by both an insufficient knowledge of nuclear interactions and the multi particle character of nuclear systems. Experimental data on nuclear interactions do not contradict the hypothesis of the pair character of nuclear forces. However, the absence of rigorous meth ods of calculations of many particle nuclear systems with strong interaction makes it necessary to use macroscopic nuclear models to describe particular nuclear properties. Nuclear models have been developed in different ways, and the models themselves have been modified and complicated. In spite of the visible discrepancy, different models of the nucleus significantly supple ment one another. The development of nuclear models has led to considerable progress in the understanding of atomic nuclei. The current results of theo retical nuclear physics are reported in numerous scientific papers. The most important and relevant experimental and theoretical results can be found in many monographs, the best of which are written by well-known experts in the field.

Klappentext

This book presents the fundamentals of modern ideas on the structure of atomic nuclei, as well as the most recent results. Different models of the nucleus are examined in detail and their interrelations are also discussed. Among the subjects dealt with are the fundamentals of quantum chromodynamics, quark models of hadrons and their classification, continuous groups, strong interactions and a detailed analysis of the deuteron and three nucleon nuclei, and many-quark systems. With the exception of Chapter 7, all chapters are supplemented by a problem section, and a detailed bibliography has been added for further study. br/ emAudience:/em This volume will be of interest to research workers in the field of nuclear physics, particle physics and nuclear engineering, as well as to postgraduate students of physics and engineering. It can be recommended as a supplementary textbook.

Inhalt
1 Nucleons and Nuclear Forces.- 1.1 Constitution of Nuclei and Nucleon Properties.- 1.2 Nuclear Interaction between Nucleons.- 1.3 Ground State of the Deuteron.- 1.4 Scattering of Slow Neutrons by Protons.- 1.5 Scattering of Slow Neutrons in Molecular Hydrogen.- 1.6 Proton-Proton Scattering.- 1.7 Non-Central Nuclear Forces.- 1.8 Exchange Forces.- 1.9 Isotopic Spin and Charge Independence of the Nuclear Interaction.- 1.10 Nucleon-Nucleon Scattering at High Energies.- Problems.- References.- 2 Few-Nucleon Systems.- 2.1 Bound States and Scattering in a System of Two Particles.- 2.2 Quantum Mechanical Description of Three-Particle Systems.- 2.3 Three-Nucleon Systems.- 2.4 K-Harmonic Method.- Problems.- References.- 3 Nuclear Matter.- 3.1 Saturation of the Nuclear Interaction.- 3.2 Fermi Gas Model of the Nucleus.- 3.3 Independent-Pair Nuclear Model.- 3.4 Hydrodynamical Model of Nucleus.- Problems.- References.- 4 Shells in Nuclei.- 4.1 Motion of a Nucleon in the Self-consistent Field of the Nucleus.- 4.2 One-Particle States.- 4.3 One-Particle Shell Model of Nuclei.- 4.4 Wave Functions of Many-Particle Shells.- 4.5 Classification of Many-Particle States.- 4.6 Motion of the Centre of Mass of the Nucleus in the Shell Model.- 4.7 Fractional Parentage Coefficients.- 4.8 Energy Spectra of Light Nuclei.- Problems.- References.- 5 Rotation and Vibrations of Nuclei.- 5.1 Vibrations of Spherical Nuclei.- 5.2 Rotation of the Coordinate Frame.- 5.3 Rotation and Surface Vibrations of Deformed Nuclei.- 5.4 Rotation of Axially Symmetric Nuclei.- 5.5 Rotation of Non-Axial Nuclei.- 5.6 Rotational-Vibrational Excitations of Nuclei.- 5.7 Dynamical Chaos and Collective Motion in Nuclei.- Problems.- References.- 6 The Pairing of Nucleons.- 6.1 Superfluid States of Nuclei.- 6.2 Residual Interaction and Collective Effects in Nuclei.- Problems.- References.- 7 Quark Model of Nucleus.- 7.1 Quantum Chromodynamics and Hadron-Hadron Interaction.- 7.2 Quark-Hadron Systems.- 7.3 Quark in a Few-Nucleon Systems.- References.