The study of exotic nuclei

The quantum many body system of protons and neutrons that makes up the nucleus of atoms has been studied for nearly 100 years, yet there are many unexplored aspects. One of the frontiers is in the production and study of isotopes with exotic neutron to proton number ratios. A key technical development that allows the study of exotic nuclei is the capability to produce them as beams. Exotic nuclei are known to exhibit qualitatively new phenomena and provide a new testing ground for our understanding of quantum many-body science. This article outlines some of the new aspects of exotic nuclei, how they are produced, and how they are studied. A description is given of how one recognizes the signatures of exotic nuclei and how manifestations of changes in the standard structure of nuclei may be identified.