Nuclear Surface Effects

Abstract

The nuclear surface energy and surface thickness have been calculated from a model in which the assumed volume energy density is a simple empirical function of the particle density and the particle density is a simple empirical function of position. Weizsäcker's inhomogeneity correction has been used in unmodified form. For various combinations of empirical energy densities (leading to reasonable compressibilities) with empirical particle densities, the calculated surface energies were found to agree within 15% with the surface energy term of the semiempirical mass formula. The calculated surface thicknesses exceed by 20% to 60% the surface thickness of the proton distribution inferred from electron scattering experiments.