Nuclear physics research studies

Nuclear physics investigates the structure and behavior of atomic nuclei — how protons and neutrons bind together through the strong force, how nuclei decay or react, and how heavier elements are forged in stellar explosions through nucleosynthesis. Researchers use theoretical frameworks such as the shell model and mean-field models alongside precision experiments to map properties like neutron radii and isospin asymmetry, which describe how nuclei behave when they contain very unequal numbers of protons and neutrons. Open questions include the precise nature of nuclear forces at short range, the equation of state of dense nuclear matter relevant to neutron stars, and the astrophysical reaction rates that govern which elements are produced in the universe. Advances in radioactive beam facilities are now allowing physicists to study exotic, short-lived nuclei far from stability, directly testing models built on decades of data from more familiar isotopes.

Works

227,687

Total citations

2,739,603

Keywords

Nuclear StructureNuclear ForcesNucleosynthesisNeutron RadiiMean-Field ModelsNuclear Reactions