The atomic nucleus is a mesoscopic quantum system. That means the system has too few degrees of freedom to apply purely statistical methods, but too many degrees of freedom to perform exact quantum calculations. The main challenge of nuclear structure studies is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between collective and single particle phenomena that determine structure and properties of atomic nuclei. Researchers at the Cyclotron Institute perform a wide verity of experiments with stable and rare isotope beams to measure properties of atomic nuclei with great precision. These measurements provide better constrains on the existing and emerging nuclear structure models. Understanding nuclear structure is key to many applications of nuclear science, including nuclear energy, nuclear security and nuclear astrophysics.
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