Accessing the shape of atomic nuclei with relativistic collisions of isobars

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that relativistic nuclear collisions between isobars can reveal differences in their nuclear shapes and deformations through measurable deviations in elliptic flow ratios, providing a new way to study nuclear geometry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental approach using relativistic collisions of isobars to probe nuclear shapes and quadrupole deformations.

Findings

Elliptic flow ratios deviate from unity due to shape differences.

Small deformation differences are detectable via collision experiments.

Relativistic collisions offer a quantitative method to study nuclear geometry.

Abstract

Nuclides sharing the same mass number (isobars) are observed ubiquitously along the stability line. While having nearly identical radii, stable isobars can differ in shape, and present in particular different quadrupole deformations. We show that even small differences in these deformations can be probed by relativistic nuclear collisions experiments, where they manifest as deviations from unity in the ratios of elliptic flow coefficients taken between isobaric systems. Collider experiments with isobars represent, thus, a unique means to obtain quantitative information about the geometric shape of atomic nuclei.