Prolate dominance of nuclear shape caused by a strong interference between the effects of spin-orbit and l2 terms of the Nilsson potential
Abstract
The origin of the dominance of prolate shapes over oblate ones of the ground states of atomic nuclei is investigated with the Nilsson-Strutinsky method. The number of prolate nuclei among all the deformed even-even nuclei is calculated as a function of the strengths of the spin-orbit and the l2 terms of the Nilsson potential. The latter simulates a square-well like radial profile of the mean potential. The ratio of prolate nuclei is 86% with the standard strengths corresponding to the actual atomic nuclei. By weakening the spin-orbit potential, the ratio oscillates strongly, having a local minimum value of 45% with a half of the standard strength and a local maximum value of 78% without the spin-orbit potential.
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