Adam Robert Vernon, PhD

It is now 100 years since the discovery of nuclear isomerism by Otto Hahn. Since then, we have discovered many species of nuclear isomers, states of atomic nuclei which have an abnormally long lifetime against decay due to the particular configuration of their nucleons. The extreme energy density stored in nuclear isomers (MeV/atom), intrinsic to the nuclear force, has made them tantalizing for a variety of applications, from nuclear batteries to gamma-ray lasers.

More recently, as radioactive ion beam facilities develop to allow studies of the limits of existence of atomic nuclei, understanding the details of the stabilizing phenomena of nuclear isomers is becoming increasingly important for fundamental nuclear physics and astrophysics research. Moreover, the advance in laser technology over the last few decades has provided renewed interest and increased opportunities to study and apply nuclear isomers using electron–nucleus interactions.

In this Special Issue, we will bring together original research papers, review articles, and short communications to provide an up-to-date view of the nuclear physics behind nuclear isomerism and bring attention to the present challenges and prospects for studies and applications of nuclear isomers, particularly those enabled by recent advances in atomic physics techniques.

User, Spokesperson for Al proton halo laser spectroscopy experiment

A stellar game for the masses

Mom and pop beamline for laser spectroscopy at CERN-ISOLDE