Prolate over oblate dominance in deformed nuclei as a consequence of the SU(3) symmetry and the Pauli principle

TL;DR

This paper explains why prolate shapes are more common than oblate shapes in deformed nuclei by linking SU(3) symmetry with the Pauli principle, providing a theoretical foundation for observed nuclear shapes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that prolate dominance arises naturally from the interplay of SU(3) symmetry and the Pauli principle in nuclear structure.

Findings

Prolate shapes are more prevalent than oblate in deformed nuclei.

SU(3) symmetry combined with the Pauli principle explains nuclear shape dominance.

Theoretical derivation aligns with experimental observations.

Abstract

We show that the dominance of prolate over oblate shapes in even-even deformed nuclei can be derived from the SU(3) symmetry and the Pauli principle.