On Nuclear Moments

Abstract

The magnetic moments of nuclei, most of them known only roughly, and their more accurately known ratios, can be fairly well explained quantum mechanically on the basis of the following assumptions: Nuclei are built of protons whose spin is 1/2 with a gyromagnetic ratio -5 (the magnitude 5/2 of the magnetic moment agreeing with deflection experiments) and of neutrons whose spin is 1/2 with a gyromagnetic ratio -1.1; according to atomic number and mass at most one of these particles with a possible "orbital" angular momentum exists outside of "closed shells" and in addition possibly two neutrons without "orbital" moment. The coupling scheme is selected according to physical considerations analogous to those of atomic theory, and consistent with the importance of the proton-neutron bond. Only states of lowest spin-orbit coupling energy of the proton are realized.