Giant Resonances: Fundamental High-Frequency Modes of Nuclear Excitation [Kõva köide]

Presenting the current state of knowledge concerning giant resonances, this book describes experimental techniques and findings. It also considers the place of this information in theoretical frameworks, and the implications of such studies for other questions in physics. An introductory essay provides an overview of the field. Other chapters outline the history of the study of giant resonances and describe some prospects for future research. Harakeh teaches nuclear physics at Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut Groningen. Van der Woude is professor emeritus at the same institution, also in the field of nuclear physics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Giant resonances are collective excitations of the atomic nucleus, a typical quantum many-body system. The study of these fundamental modes has in many respects contributed to our understanding of the bulk behavior of the nucleus and of the dynamics of non-equilibrium excitations. Although the phenomenon of giant resonances has been known for more than 50 years, a large amount of information has been obtained in the last 10 years. This book gives an up-to-date, comprehensive account of our present knowledge of giant resonances. It presents the experimental facts and the techniques used to obtain that information, describes how these facts fit into theoretical concepts and how this allows to determine various nuclear properties which are otherwise difficult to obtain. Included as an introduction is an overview of the main facts, a short history of how the field has developed in the course of time, and a discussion of future perspectives.