The neutron radius of a heavy nucleus is a fundamental nuclear-structure observable that remains elusive. Progress in this arena has been limited by the exclusive use of hadronic probes that are hindered by large and controversial uncertainties in the reaction mechanism. The Parity Radius Experiment at the Jefferson Laboratory offers an attractive electro-weak alternative to the hadronic progra...

A precise determination of the neutron skin Δr(np) of a heavy nucleus sets a basic constraint on the nuclear symmetry energy (Δr(np) is the difference of the neutron and proton rms radii of the nucleus). The parity radius experiment (PREX) may achieve it by electroweak parity-violating electron scattering (PVES) on (208)Pb. We investigate PVES in nuclear mean field approach to allow the accurat...

Recently, we developed a methodology [1-4] of calculating the spin and parity dependent shell model nuclear level density, which is a very useful ingredient in the Huaser-Feshbach theory for calculating reaction rates for nuclear astrophysics[5]. We developed new techniques based on nuclear statistical spectroscopy [6] to calculate the spin and parity projected moments of the nuclear shell mode...