Further Reading — Chapter 34

Nuclear Data Resources

National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC), Brookhaven National Laboratory. Website: https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/ The primary US center for evaluated nuclear data. NuDat 3.0 provides interactive access to decay data, level schemes, and nuclear properties for all known nuclides. The Q-value Calculator computes reaction energetics from AME2020 masses. This is the single most important resource for any capstone project.

ENSDF — Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File. Access: https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/ensdf/ The international standard for evaluated nuclear structure data, maintained by an international network of nuclear data evaluators. ENSDF provides adopted levels, gamma-ray transitions, reduced transition probabilities, and band assignments. Updated continuously as new measurements are published.

ENDF — Evaluated Nuclear Data File. Access: https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/endf/ Evaluated nuclear reaction cross sections for applications. ENDF/B-VIII.0 (2018) is the current US release. The JANIS interface (https://www.oecd-nea.org/janis/) provides user-friendly browsing and plotting.

EXFOR — Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data. Access: https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/exfor/ The international library of experimental nuclear reaction data (raw measurements, before evaluation). Essential for comparing your calculations with the original experimental results and for understanding the experimental basis of evaluated cross sections.

AME2020 — Atomic Mass Evaluation. W.J. Huang, M. Wang, F.G. Kondev, G. Audi, and S. Naimi, "The AME 2020 atomic mass evaluation," Chinese Physics C, Vol. 45, 030002 and 030003 (2021). Access: https://www-nds.iaea.org/amdc/ The definitive compilation of atomic masses. All binding energies, separation energies, and Q-values should be computed from AME2020 data.

JINA REACLIB — Reaction Rate Library. Access: https://reaclib.jinaweb.org/ Parameterized astrophysical reaction rates in the standard seven-parameter format. Essential for Option D (stellar burning) and useful for the astrophysics component of all options.

Textbooks — General Nuclear Physics

Kenneth S. Krane, Introductory Nuclear Physics (Wiley, 1988). The standard undergraduate text. Chapters relevant to each capstone option: Option A (Chs 3, 5), Option B (Chs 6, 9), Option C (Ch 11), Option D (Ch 12). Krane's clear presentation and extensive use of real data make this an excellent companion for any capstone analysis.

Samuel S.M. Wong, Introductory Nuclear Physics, 2nd ed. (Wiley-VCH, 2004). More advanced than Krane. Useful for detailed shell model calculations (Ch 4), electromagnetic transition theory (Ch 5), and nuclear reaction formalism (Chs 7–8).

B.R. Martin, Nuclear and Particle Physics: An Introduction, 3rd ed. (Wiley, 2017). Accessible overview with good coverage of applications (nuclear medicine, nuclear power, environmental radiation). Useful for the applications component of any capstone option.

Textbooks — Nuclear Structure

A. Bohr and B.R. Mottelson, Nuclear Structure, Vols. I and II (World Scientific, 1998, reprint). The Nobel Prize-winning treatment of nuclear structure. Volume I covers single-particle motion; Volume II covers collective motion. Advanced but definitive. Relevant for students choosing Option A with a deformed nucleus.

P. Ring and P. Schuck, The Nuclear Many-Body Problem (Springer, 2004, reprint). Advanced graduate text on nuclear structure theory. Useful for understanding the theoretical foundations behind the shell model and collective models used in the capstone analysis.

R.F. Casten, Nuclear Structure from a Simple Perspective, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 2000). An elegant treatment of nuclear structure systematics using simple models. The NpNn scheme (product of valence proton and neutron numbers) for classifying collectivity is directly applicable to Option A analyses.

Textbooks — Nuclear Reactions and Astrophysics

C.E. Rolfs and W.S. Rodney, Cauldrons in the Cosmos: Nuclear Astrophysics (University of Chicago Press, 1988). The classic text on nuclear astrophysics. Despite its age, the physical explanations of the Gamow peak, S-factors, and stellar burning stages remain unsurpassed. Essential reading for Options C and D.

C. Iliadis, Nuclear Physics of Stars, 2nd ed. (Wiley-VCH, 2015). Modern and comprehensive treatment of nuclear astrophysics. Excellent coverage of reaction rate formalism, stellar burning stages, and explosive nucleosynthesis. The standard reference for Option D.

G.R. Satchler, Introduction to Nuclear Reactions, 2nd ed. (Oxford University Press, 1990). Detailed treatment of nuclear reaction theory: optical model, compound nucleus, direct reactions, and heavy-ion reactions. Useful for Option C.

Applications References

J.E. Turner, Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection, 3rd ed. (Wiley-VCH, 2007). Comprehensive treatment of radiation physics and protection. Relevant for radon dose calculations (Option B), shielding design (Option A for iron or lead), and general radiation safety.

J.R. Lamarsh and A.J. Baratta, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 4th ed. (Pearson, 2017). Standard nuclear engineering text. Covers reactor physics (four-factor formula, criticality, fuel cycles) relevant to Options B and C.

S.R. Cherry, J.A. Sorenson, and M.E. Phelps, Physics in Nuclear Medicine, 4th ed. (Saunders, 2012). Detailed coverage of nuclear medicine physics. Relevant for students analyzing medical isotopes.

Key Papers

M. Wang et al., "The AME 2020 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs and references," Chinese Physics C 45, 030003 (2021). The mass table itself. Every capstone project needs masses; this is where they come from.

P. Moller et al., "Nuclear ground-state masses and deformations: FRDM(2012)," Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables 109–110, 1–204 (2016). The finite-range droplet model mass table. Useful for understanding the liquid-drop vs. shell-correction decomposition of binding energies.

D. Adhikari et al. (PREX Collaboration), "Accurate determination of the neutron skin thickness of ${}^{208}$Pb through parity-violation in electron scattering," Physical Review Letters 126, 172502 (2021). The PREX-II result on the ${}^{208}\text{Pb}$ neutron skin. Directly relevant to the ${}^{208}\text{Pb}$ case study.

B.P. Abbott et al. (LIGO/Virgo), "GW170817: Observation of gravitational waves from a binary neutron star inspiral," Physical Review Letters 119, 161101 (2017). The neutron star merger observation that confirmed r-process nucleosynthesis. Relevant for the nucleosynthesis component of heavy-element analyses.

C. Patterson, "Age of meteorites and the Earth," Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 10, 230–237 (1956). Patterson's determination of the age of the Earth from U-Pb systematics. A classic paper, directly relevant to Option B.

Online Tools

Brookhaven National Laboratory — NuDat 3.0. https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/nudat3/ Interactive chart of nuclides with searchable nuclear data. Your first stop for any nuclear system.

IAEA Nuclear Data Services — Live Chart of Nuclides. https://nds.iaea.org/relnsd/vcharthtml/VChartHTML.html Alternative interactive chart with additional data (cross sections, fission yields).

OECD/NEA — JANIS (Java-based Nuclear Data Information System). https://www.oecd-nea.org/janis/ User-friendly interface for browsing and plotting ENDF, JEFF, JENDL, and other evaluated data libraries.

JINA — Virtual Journal of Nuclear Astrophysics. https://www.jinaweb.org/ Portal for nuclear astrophysics resources, including REACLIB rates, starlib rates, and the Computational Infrastructure for Nuclear Astrophysics (CINA).

Periodic Table of Isotopes (LBNL). https://periodictable.lbl.gov/ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's isotope browser, with links to evaluated data for every known isotope.