Physics Journal

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2015, pp. 17-23

http://www.aiscience.org/journal/pj

Liquid Drop Model Prediction for Fusion

Interaction Cross Section, Binding Energies
and Fission Barriers on the Nucleus–Nucleus
Interactions
A. Abel-Hafiez*
Experimental Nuclear Physics Dept., Nuclear Research Centre, AEA, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The liquid drop model(LDM) is used to calculate and describe the binding energies (BE) as a function of the mass number (A)
for the most stable nuclei, liquid-drop fission barriers for some heavy nuclei, b-coefficients for the isobaric mass multiplet
equation (IMME), Probability profile of 208pb, fusion cross section of some nuclear reactions and calculations for root mean
square (rms) charge radii as a function of the atomic number. Some of our calculated characteristics are compared with
experimental data, it`s found that there is a good agreement between our calculations and that data. Also, our LDM
calculations gave a good agreement with the quantum molecular dynamic (QMD) calculations.

Keywords

Modeling, Liquid Drop Model, Nucleus-Nucleus Interactions

Received: June 10, 2015 / Accepted: June 17, 2015 / Published online: July 15, 2015

@ 2015 The Authors. Published by American Institute of Science. This Open Access article is under the CC BY-NC
license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

whereas in an ordinary fluid they are predominant.

1. Introduction
It is more than 60 years now since the first successful
The liquid drop model (LDM) of the nucleus was historically application of the charged liquid-drop model to describe the
the first model to be proposed as an explanation of the nuclear binding energies. Brilliant extensions of the Bethe-
different properties of the nucleus. Since it has regained Weizsacker nuclear drop concept by Meitner and Frisch and
interest in recent times. The idea of considering the nucleus by Bohr and Wheeler have been obtained in 1939 and used to
as a liquid drop originally came from considerations about its explain the nuclear fission phenomenon. Since then many
saturation properties and from the fact that the nucleus has a papers have been devoted to the nuclear liquid-drop model
very low compressibility and a well defined surface. For formalism and its improvements. Various new terms in the
instance, the mean distance of two particles in a liquid is corresponding energy expressions have been proposed but
roughly given by the value at which the interparticle force the basic concept of the charged liquid drop which could
has its minimum value, which for nuclei would be 0.7 fm. deform and fission remained valid. It is worth reminding at
this point that already in 1953 Hill and Wheeler concluded
However, nucleons in nuclei are, on the average, 2.4 fm
on the basis of the Fermi gas model, that a curvature
apart. One reason for this big difference as compared with an
ordinary Liquid is that the nucleons obey Fermi statistics and dependent term proportional to A1/3 should exist in the
a nucleus is thus a quantum fluid. The Pauli principle liquid-drop energy functional. The curvature term was later
prevents the nucleons from corning too close to one another. studied, where its magnitude was adjusted to the
Thus scattering events are very scarce in a quantum fluid, experimental fission-barrier heights known at that time [1-4].

* Corresponding author
E-mail address: abdel_hafiez@yahoo.com
18 A. Abel-Hafiez: Liquid Drop Model Prediction for Fusion Interaction Cross Section, Binding Energies and Fission
Barriers on the Nucleus–Nucleus Interactions

Temporary Address: Faculty of Education, Hadramout experimental masses and fission barriers.
University, Yemen Republic

Nuclei are bound due to the overall attractive strong

interactions between nucleons. The strong interaction arises
from the exchange of mesons. The interactions are short
ranged and occur mainly between neighboring nucleons. In
addition, the nuclear interaction saturates, resulting in a
nearly constant interior nucleon density and a surface radius
approximately equal to 1.2 A1/3. The analogy of this situation
with a droplet of liquid, results in the liquid drop model for
the nuclear binding energies in which the binding energy is
expressed in the form[5-7]:
, =1 −2 −3 −4 −

The four terms on the right-hand side are referred to as the

volume, surface, Coulomb. and symmetry energy terms,
respectively. The first term represents the nearest neighbor
attractive interaction between nucleons, and the second term
represents the correction due to the fact that the nucleons on
the surface only interact with those in the interior. The third
term is due to the Coulomb repulsion between protons. The
fourth term called the symmetry energy arises because the
proton-neutron strong interaction is on the average more
attractive than the proton-proton or neutron-neutron strong
interactions and because the total kinetic energy is minimized
when N = Z. The constant 3=0.697 MeV is fixed by the
Coulomb interaction and the nuclear size. Typical values of
the liquid-drop constants that reproduce the average trends in Fig. 1. Scheme for the LDM of fission (upper) and binding energy of a
nuclei (lower).
the experimental data are given by 1 = 15.49 MeV, 2 =
17.23 MeV and 4 = 22.6 MeV
2. Theory
The fission shapes were investigated long time ago by
minimizing the sum of the Coulomb and surface energies The macroscopic total energy is the sum of the Rotational
using mainly a development of the radius in Legendre Liquid-Drop Model energy and the nuclear proximity energy
polynomials. This leads to fission valley through very [8]. Constant density and volume conservation are assumed
elongated shapes with shallow necks and difficulties to [9-11].
precise the position of the scission point where the rupture of = + + +
the bridge of matter between the nascent fragments occurs.
Figure 1 shows the schematic diagram for the LDM of Where the volume EV, surface ES and Coulomb EC energies
fission and binding energy of a nuclei. are given by:
The interest in heavy ion fusion reactions at sub-barrier =−1− !
energies has grown considerably in recent years. This interest / $
has arisen from the possibility that such reactions could lead " = 1− ! 4%& '
to the formation of super heavy elements, and also from the
information they could provide about the interaction of heavy 12 &2
( = 0.6 , -&'. 0.5 0 - 1'. - &'. 3452 62
ions in close proximity.

The aim of the present work is using the classical version of

the liquid drop model in prediction and calculation of some where A, Z and I = (N - Z )/A are the mass, charge and
characteristics for nuclei and nuclear reactions. That version relative neutron excess of the compound nucleus. V (θ) is the
of the liquid-drop model adjusted to the up-to-date electrostatic potential at the surface of the shape and V0 the
 Physics Journal Vol. 1, No. 1, 2015, pp. 17-23 19

surface potential of the sphere. The volume and surface

3452 + UVW32 0 ≤ 2 ≤ %/2
coefficients av, as and the effective sharp radius R0 are
defined as: =T Y
&2 3452 + UVW32 %/2 ≤ 2 ≤ %
7 = 15.4941 + 0.00337 7:,1 c1 and c2 are the two radial elongations and a the neck radius.
Assuming volume conservation, the two parameters s1 = a /
c1 and s2 = a / c2 completely define the shape.
1.57 7
7 = 17.9439 ;1 + 17 < ;1 − 17 < :,1
3. Fission Barriers
>
&'7 = ;1.28 − 0.76 + 0.8 As with any other decay width, the fission width (Γf ) for an
< 1 + 0.0007 7?@
The surface and volume asymmetry coefficients take on the excited nucleus is determined by the product of the excited
values: level spacing (Dc) and the sum of the transmission
coefficients over all channels leading to fission [16]:
= 2.6 56 = 1.8
] \
Γ [\ = 2% ^ 7[_
When the two fragments (or colliding nuclei) are separated:

= −A1 − !+1− !B Most measurements of the fission cross sections were

/ / performed at energies above the fission barriers. Fission
" = C1 − ! + 1 − ! D widths for such energies can be written in the form:
cd>ef
E , E , ,
1
= &+ ( & + F
where Ai, Zi, Ri and Ii are the masses, charges, radii and Γ[\= 2%`\ 0' `[a\>[ − b6
relative neutron excesses of the fragments and r the distance where ρc and ρf are the level densities for the equilibrium
between the mass centers. The discontinuity of a few MeV compound and saddle configurations, respectively, and B f is
which appears at the contact point when Z1/A1 and Z2/A2 are the fission barrier height.
very different has been removed linearly from the contact Generally, fission barriers are approximated by the equation:
point to the sphere since it is due to the progressive
rearrangement of the nuclear matter. [ = Kg − S' + S[

The rotational energy has been determined within the rigid

where Bld is the liquid-drop component of the fission barrier,
body ansatz. Indeed, it has been shown that corrective terms
δE0 is the ground state shell correction, and δEf is the
arising from the orbital motion and the spin degrees of
corresponding shell correction for the saddle configuration of
freedom roughly cancel each other, particularly at large
the fissioning nucleus.
deformations.
= ℏ HH + 1 Measured barriers for about 120 nuclei were fitted by the
formula:
2! [, = $, hi
The shell corrections have been introduced as defined in the
Droplet Model with an attenuation factor given by [12,13] where S = A2/3(1−kI2) is proportional to the nuclear surface
"LIJMJ energy with I = (N−Z)/A, and the surface symmetry
"IJKK = "IJKK 1 − 2.6 exp− Q ,F, coefficient k is defined as k = 1.9 + (Z − 80)/75. The fission
parameter (X) is proportional to the ratio of the Coulomb and
= S&/ surface energies, and can be defined as [17]:
The distortion αa is the root mean square of the deviation of i =/1 − !
the surface from a sphere, a quantity which incorporates all
types of deformation indiscriminately. Using this approach, Function F is cubic, and joined smoothly to a straight line at
shell corrections only play a role near the ground state of the X = X1 :
compound nucleus and not at the saddle-point.
0.000199748 i' − i ?WF i ≤ i ≤ i'
To describe the continuous transition from one spherical
nucleus to two tangent spherical nuclei [14,15]. hi = T
0.595553 − 0.124136i − i?WF 30 ≤ i ≤ i Y
with X0 = 48.5428 and X1 = 34.15.
20 A. Abel-Hafiez: Liquid Drop Model Prediction for Fusion Interaction Cross Section, Binding Energies and Fission
Barriers on the Nucleus–Nucleus Interactions

4. The Root Mean Square Radii

The mean-square radius is defined by [18-20]:
l `F F 6m

F 〉= l `F 6m
and the rms radius is the square root of this quantity denoted
by
& = n F〉

In the liquid-drop model the density is given by a constant

density
Fig. 2. Experimental values for the BE/A as a function of A for the most
`F = `' , ?WF F < V = F'/ 56 `F = 0, ?WF F > V stable.

The rms radius for this sharp-surface distribution is given by Nuclei (solid line). Liquid drop model calculations (open
circles).

&g = q E V = q E ;F' <, F' = 1.185 ?@

The sharp-surface model could be improved when the
surface allowed to be diffuse. This can be do with the Fermi
distribution shape:
`'
`F = F−V

1 + exp r s
The rms radius is given by

t
&[ = q E qV + %
/
Where V = F[ , F[ = 1.15 ?@ , = 0.35?@ . In Fig. 3. The liquid-drop model for BE/A (closed circles). QMD model for
the Fermi distribution model for A nucleons the interior BE/A ( open circles).
density is given by:
In Figure 4 the fission barriers is obtained. Liquid-drop
`' =uv models are plotted for 232Th and 240Pu. The barriers are
yz {z

wx dz
plotted as functions of distance R12 (in R0 units) between the
fission fragments.
vz |z

For large A we neglect the term, and if we assume that

z

the rms radius for neutrons is the same as that for the protons
then
}~KJ}
V = F[ 56 `' = uv Mw = 0.16 [•w
Q4€ℎF[ =
f

1.15 ?@

5. Results
Figures 2 and 3 shows binding energies as a function of A.
LDM calculations are in comparison with experimental data
and the quantum molecular dynamic model calculations. We
could see that there is a good agreement between LDM
calculations and both experimental data and QMD model [
21] as a theoretical calculations.
 Physics Journal Vol. 1, No. 1, 2015, pp. 17-23 21

Fig. 6. Probability profile of 208pb (solid line ), liquid drop model

232 240
Fig. 4. Liquid-drop fission barriers for Th (top) and Pu (bottom). calculations (open circles) and QMD model calculations (closed circles ).

In figures 7-10, the fusion cross sections of the nuclear

reactions 9 Be + 144Sm, 16 O + 16O, 48 Ca + 96Zr and 64 Ni +
64
Ni are calculated using our LDM and the QMD model. In
fact i decided to choose light, medium and heavy systems to
see and get a general impression. As we could see there is a
good agreement between both models, and in all cases the
LDM calculation is higher than the results given by QMD. In
figure 11, the LDM calculation for the rms radii as a function
of the atomc number is presented. It's clear that the results is
fitted as proportionality linear function.

Fig. 5. b-coefficients for the isobaric mass multiplet equation. The closed
symbols show the values obtained from experimental binding energies. The
dashed line is the prediction of the liquid drop model.

In figure 5, The b coefficients obtained from the

experimental binding energy are shown. They are compared
with the prediction of the liquid drop model. The liquid drop
model is always higher than experiment. The reason is that
the observed displacement energy is related to a change in Fig. 7. Fusion cross section of 9 Be + 144Sm. Liquid drop model
calculations (closed circles) and QMD model calculations (open circles).
proton-neutron occupancy of the orbits near the Fermi
surface which have an rms radius which is larger than the
average rms radius implicit in the liquid drop model.

Figure 6 shows the probability density of 208pb which taken

from ref. [22, 23 ]. If one were to put the 208 nucleons of
208
Pb into a simple cubic lattice, a density of 0.16
nucleons/fm2 corresponds to a lattice spacing of 1.85 fm. The
data drawing Gaussian distributions for several nucleons
each of which has an rms radius of 0.88 fm and which are
spaced a distance of 1.85 fm. The data is compared with
LDM and QMD model. We could see LDM gives more nice
agreement with the data and the calculations of QMD model
gives somewhat agreement with both LDM and the Fig. 8. Fusion cross section of 16 O + 16O. Liquid drop model calculations
experimental data. (closed circles) and QMD model calculations (open circles).
22 A. Abel-Hafiez: Liquid Drop Model Prediction for Fusion Interaction Cross Section, Binding Energies and Fission
Barriers on the Nucleus–Nucleus Interactions

6. Summary
Rotational Liquid-Drop Model with the volume, surface and
Coulomb energies is introduced to calculate many
characteristics of nuclear reactions for light, medium and
heavy systems. The binding energies as a function of the
mass number for the most stable nuclei, liquid-drop fission
barriers for some heavy nuclei, b-coefficients for the isobaric
mass multiplet equation, probability profile of 208pb, fusion
cross section of some nuclear reactions and root mean square
charge radii as a function of the atomic number are
calculated on the frame of LDM calculations. LDM
calculations are compared with experimental results and
QMD model calculations as well. The comparison was
somewhat good and this is indicate that LDM is a good
predication for all these characteristics.
Fig. 9. Fusion cross section of 48 Ca + 96Zr. Liquid drop model calculations
( closed circles) and QMD model calculations ( open circles).
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