A Thomas-Fermi study of rapidly rotating nuclei

Abstract

The behaviour of a droplet of nuclear matter under rapid rotation is analysed by means of an extended Thomas-Fermi method and by using appropriate trial functions for the density. The authors' description includes the mass as well as density redistribution of the rotating nucleus. Because of the finite compressibility of nuclear matter the central density of the nucleus is reduced while the surface thickness becomes anisotropic if the nucleus rotates rather fast. The consequences of this behaviour for the nuclear stability are discussed. The nuclear deformation at high angular momenta shows a great similarity to that of liquid drops.