ISOMERISM OF ATOMIC NUCLEI

The discovery of nuclear isomerism by Kurchatov is described and its history related. A review of the investigation of nuclear structure by the study of isomerism is presented. Spherical nuclei are discussed first, and a brief shell model treatment is outlined. Experimental data on lifetimes and multipolarities of many isomeric transitions are shown graphically, to bring out the systematics of this process. Deformed nuclei in the rare earth region are discussed in the light of the collective model, and again experimental data are presented, but the theory is only alluded to. Finally, the method of producing metastable states of very high spin by means of heavy ion bombardment is described. (TTT)