Precision masses of neutron-rich platinum and gold nuclei reveal enhanced $N=126$ shell strength below doubly-magic ${}^{208}$Pb

David Freire-Fernández, Rui-Jiu Chen, Usama Ahmed +63

The heaviest stable nuclei in the universe owe their existence to quantum shell structure, the grouping of protons and neutrons into discrete energy levels separated by gaps. The l…