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Colloquium | Physics

A Guided Tour on the Edge of Nuclear Stability

PHY Colloquium

Abstract: As exciting as stable atomic nuclei can be for our chemist colleagues, the discovery of nuclear decay via different forms of radioactivity marked the birth of nuclear physics and revolutionized modern science. Today, with the advent of radioactive beam facilities such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), the focus is turning toward the exploration of the drip lines defined as the limits of nuclear stability with respect to neutron and proton emission, as thousands of new isotopes are expected to be discovered in the next few decades.

In this talk, I will give a tour of modern research on the edge of nuclear stability, present some of the current challenges facing the community, and conclude with a personal perspective on the future of the field.