Quantum chaos and nuclear mass systematics

Abstract

The presence of quantum chaos in nuclear mass systematics is analyzed by considering the differences between measured and calculated nuclear masses as a time series described by the power law 1/ f^alpha. While for the liquid droplet model plus shell corrections a quantum chaotic behavior alpha approx 1 is found, errors in the microscopic mass formula have alpha approx 0.5, closer to white noise. The chaotic behavior seems to arise from many body effects not included in the mass formula.

Comments: 4 pages, 6 figures, replaced to match the published version