Shape/Phase Transitions and Critical Point Symmetries in Atomic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent developments in understanding shape and phase transitions in atomic nuclei, focusing on critical point symmetries and their solutions within nuclear models.

Contribution

It provides a concise review of new solutions and approaches to describing shape/phase transitions and critical point symmetries in atomic nuclei.

Findings

Introduction of critical point symmetries as solutions of the Bohr Hamiltonian

Development of new solutions describing various nuclei

Review of the role of the Interacting Boson Approximation model

Abstract

Shape/phase transitions in atomic nuclei have first been discovered in the framework of the Interacting Boson Approximation (IBA) model. Critical point symmetries appropriate for nuclei at the transition points have been introduced as special solutions of the Bohr Hamiltonian, stirring the introduction of additional new solutions describing wide ranges of nuclei. A short review of these recent developments will be attempted.