Redefining Nuclear Magic: Physicists Have Discovered Two New Isotopes

Scientists at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), along with their collaborators, have created two novel isotopes—osmium-160 and tungsten-156. This discovery provides new insights into the architecture of atomic nuclei and suggests that lead-164 might possess enhanced stability as a potentially doubly magic nucleus.

The study was published in Physical Review Letters and highlighted as an Editors’ Suggestion.

“Magic numbers” of protons and neutrons can make an atomic nucleus particularly stable. The traditional magic numbers are 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126. In previous studies, researchers discovered the vanishing of traditional magic numbers and the emergence of new magic numbers on the neutron-rich side of the nuclide chart.

https://scitechdaily.com/redefining-nuclear-magic-physicists-have-discovered-two-new-isotopes/