A team of scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, have used the ISOLDE facility at CERN to study the shape-shifting character of mercury isotopes. Their results, published in the journal Nature Physics, provide new insights into the structure of atomic nuclei and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions.

Mercury is a fascinating element, with a complex nuclear structure that gives it a wide range of properties. Some isotopes of mercury are stable, while others are radioactive. The radioactive isotopes of mercury have half-lives that range from a few seconds to billions of years.

The shape-shifting character of mercury isotopes is due to the fact that they have different numbers of neutrons. Neutrons are neutral particles that make up the nucleus of an atom. The number of neutrons in a nucleus determines the isotope's mass and its nuclear properties.

The scientists used the ISOLDE facility to produce a beam of mercury isotopes. The beam was then directed at a target, and the resulting nuclear reactions were studied. The scientists were able to measure the half-lives of the radioactive isotopes and the energies of the gamma rays that were emitted during the reactions.

The results of the experiment showed that the shape of the mercury isotopes changes as the number of neutrons increases. The stable isotopes of mercury have a spherical shape, while the radioactive isotopes have a deformed shape. The deformation of the radioactive isotopes is due to the fact that they have more neutrons than the stable isotopes.

The experiments at ISOLDE provide new insights into the structure of atomic nuclei and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. The results of the experiment could also be used to develop new nuclear technologies, such as nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.

References

* [Shape-shifting character of mercury isotopes revealed by ISOLDE](https://www.nature.com/articles/nphys4335)