Abstract
A complete theoretical model describing artificial disintegration of nuclei by bombardment with α-particles, developed by Majorana as early as 1930, is discussed in detail jointly with the basic experimental evidences that motivated it. By following the quantum dynamics of a state resulting from the superposition of a discrete state with a continuum one, whose interaction is described by a given potential term, Majorana obtained (among the other predictions) the explicit expression for the integrated cross section of the nuclear process, which is the directly measurable quantity of interest in the experiments. Although this is the first application of the concept of quasi-stationary states to a Nuclear Physics problem, it seems also that the unpublished Majorana work anticipates by several years the related seminal paper by Fano on Atomic Physics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Segrè, E.: A Mind Always in Motion. University of California Press, Berkeley (1993)
Amaldi, E.: Ettore Majorana: man and scientist. In: Zichichi, A. (ed.) Strong and Weak Interactions. Academic Press, New York (1966)
Di Grezia, E., Esposito, S.: Fermi, Majorana and the statistical model of atoms. Found. Phys. 34, 1431 (2004)
De Gregorio, A.: Enrico Fermi and the discovery of neutron-induced radioactivity: a project being crowned. Stud. Hist. Philos. Mod. Phys. 37, 330 (2006)
Fermi, E.: Magnetic moments of atomic nuclei. Nature 16, 125 (1930). Sui momenti magnetici dei nuclei atomici. Mem. Accad. d’Italia 1, 139 (1930). Reproduced in Fermi, E.: Amaldi, E. et al. (eds.) Collected Papers (Note e Memorie), 2 vols., vol. 1, p. 328. University of Chicago Press/Accad. Naz. dei Lincei, Chicago/Roma (1962/1965)
Fermi, E., Segrè, E.: Sulla teoria delle strutture iperfini. Mem. Accad. d’Italia 4, 131 (1933). Reproduced in Fermi, E.: Collected Papers (Note e Memorie) cit., p. 514
Esposito, S., Majorana, E. Jr., van der Merwe, A., Recami, E.: Ettore Majorana—Notes on Theoretical Physics. Kluwer Academic/Springer, Dordrecht (2003)
Majorana, E.: Über die Kerntheorie. Z. Phys. 82, 137 (1933). Sulla teoria dei nuclei. Ric. Sci. 4, 559 (1933)
De Gregorio, A.: Il “protone neutro”. Ovvero della laboriosa esclusione degli elettroni dal nucleo. arXiv:physics/0603261 (2006)
Letter by Majorana, E. to Gentile, G. Jr. (December 22, 1929), reported in Recami, E. Il caso Majorana (Oscar Mondadori, Milano, 1991), 2nd edn.; idem (Di Renzo, Roma, 2002) 4th revised and enlarged edition
Gamow, G.: Zur Quantentheorie des Atomkernes. Z. Phys. 51, 204 (1928)
Majorana, E.: Scattering of an alpha particle by a radioactive nucleus (unpublished 1928). Elect. J. Theor. Phys. 10, 293 (2006). See also Sect. 2.34 in Ref. [7]
Chadwick, J., Constable, J.E.R., Pollard, E.C.: Artificial disintegration by α-particles. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 130, 463 (1931)
Rutherford, E., Chadwick, J.: Energy relations in artificial disintegration. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 25, 186 (1929)
Chadwick, J., Gamow, G.: Artificial disintegration by α-particles. Nature 126, 54 (1930)
Gamow, G.: Über die Theorie des radioaktiven α-zerfalls, der Kernzertrümmerung und die Anregung durch α-strahlen. Z. Phys. 32, 651 (1931)
Rice, O.K.: Perturbations in molecules and the theory of predissociation and diffuse spectra. II. Phys. Rev. 35, 1551 (1930)
Rice, O.K.: Predissociation and the crossing of molecular potential energy curves. J. Chem. Phys. 1, 375 (1933)
Fano, U.: Sullo spettro di assorbimento dei gas nobili presso il limite dello spettro d’arco. Nuovo Cim. 12, 154 (1935). The English translation may be found in J. Res. Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. 10, 583 (2005)
Bianconi, A.: Ugo Fano and shape resonances. In: Bianconi, A., Marcelli, A. (eds.) X-rays and Inner Shell Processes. AIP Conference Proceedings (2002). arXiv:cond-mat/0211452
Majorana, E.: Teoria dei tripletti P′ incompleti. Nuovo Cim. 8, 107 (1931)
Arimondo, E.: In: Bassani, G.F. (ed.) Ettore Majorana—Scientific Papers, p. 97. SIF, Bologna (2006)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Di Grezia, E., Esposito, S. Majorana and the Quasi-Stationary States in Nuclear Physics. Found Phys 38, 228–240 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-007-9200-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-007-9200-2