- #1
Eric Walker
- 14
- 2
In a heavy nucleus, the balance of the Coulomb and nuclear forces is a delicate one. This can be seen in two cases: First, in oblong deformed nuclei, alpha particle emission is more likely to occur at the poles, where the Coulomb barrier is thinner, than at the waist. Second, heavy synthetic isotopes are generally unstable because the attractive nuclear force is inadequate to compensate for Coulomb repulsion.
Is it possible to have a differential balance of Coulomb and nuclear forces at different ends of an axis that passes through the nucleus? Possible example: subject an atom of a heavy element to a strong magnetic field, and the electron orbitals will alter under the influence of the field, perhaps setting up asymmetric electron screening throughout the nucleus. If this example will not work, a more artificial scenario can be produced. In such a context, would the differential balance of Coulomb to nuclear forces have a destabilizing effect on the nucleus? Might it be possible to alter the rate of spontaneous fission, for example, in an isotope that has this as a decay mode?
Is it possible to have a differential balance of Coulomb and nuclear forces at different ends of an axis that passes through the nucleus? Possible example: subject an atom of a heavy element to a strong magnetic field, and the electron orbitals will alter under the influence of the field, perhaps setting up asymmetric electron screening throughout the nucleus. If this example will not work, a more artificial scenario can be produced. In such a context, would the differential balance of Coulomb to nuclear forces have a destabilizing effect on the nucleus? Might it be possible to alter the rate of spontaneous fission, for example, in an isotope that has this as a decay mode?
Last edited: