Higher precision in nuclear spectroscopy

Abstract

For nearly six years there has been in existence at the California Institute of Technology a program of research work directed at increasing the precision of all measurements in nuclear spectroscopy and especially the precision with which nuclear energy levels may be determined. This trend toward higher precision of measurement is to be observed at present in nearly every area of nuclear physics (except possibly in the still new very high energy field) for it is generally realized that, while much primary qualitative information has been acquired, a real understanding and interpretation of the problems of nuclear structure and the internal mechanics of nuclei must wait for a sufficient fund of accurate and reliable quantitative numerical data to furnish a foundation for theory to build upon.