Islands of Shape Coexistence: Theoretical Predictions and Experimental Evidence

Parameter-free theoretical predictions based on a dual shell mechanism within the proxy-SU(3) symmetry of atomic nuclei, as well as covariant density functional theory calculations using the DDME2 functional indicate that shape coexistence (SC) based on the particle-hole excitation mechanism cannot occur everywhere on the nuclear chart but is restricted on islands lying within regions of 7-8, 17-20, 34-40, 59-70, 96-112, 146-168 protons or neutrons. Systematics of data for even-even nuclei possessing K=0 (beta) and K=2 (gamma) bands support the existence of these islands, on which shape coexistence appears whenever the K=0 bandhead 0(2)(+) and the first excited state of the ground state band 2(1)(+) lie close in energy, with nuclei characterized by 0(2)(+) lying below the 2(1)(+ )found in the center of these islands. In addition, a simple theoretical mechanism leading to multiple-shape coexistence is briefly discussed.