The mass dependence of moments of inertia of rapidly-rotating nuclei

An analysis of high-spin moments of inertia for the yrast sequences of deformed nuclei from A =72–184 indicates that within each deformed mass region, the moment of inertia is surprisingly constant. In contrast, between the different deformed mass regions the A 5 3 dependence of the moment of inertia, expected for a macroscopic rotor, is approximately restored.