Shell energies of rapidly rotating nuclei

Abstract

A theory for the shell corrections to the deformation energy of rapidly rotating nuclei is worked out and applied in a study of the energy landscapes of eighteen rare earth nuclei with spins up to the limit for stability against centrifugal fission. Triaxial ellipsoidal shapes are considered. In addition to the yrast configuration one or two local minima in the deformation energy are often obtained. These equilibrium configurations are generally not axially symmetric. The calculations suggest that cold nuclei are able to carry a larger amount of angular momentum than that expected from the classical model of a charged liquid drop. The implications of the calculated energy landscapes for the structure of the yrast γ-decay are discussed.