Exploring patterns in nuclear binding energy: isotopic, isotonic and isobaric variations

Abstract

We explore patterns in the nuclear binding energy data and seek their explanation in the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula (SEMF). The variations in the binding energy across isotopic, isotonic and isobaric sequences is analysed via standard deviation; the result shows a general decreasing trend, with the steepest decline for isotopic sequence and the gentlest decline for isobaric sequence. We have also analysed the correlation between the number of nuclides and the standard deviation. Transformation of the data into a time-series by arranging it in specific order in terms of the associated proton, neutron and atomic mass numbers reveal interesting patterns. Differencing of the generated time-series is found to have similarities and strong correlation with nucleon separation energies.