Application of Mass Formulae for Multiply Strange Nuclei

Abstract

Recent relativistic mean field calculations by Schaffner et al. predict the existence of a broad class of multiply strange nuclei, composed of neutrons, protons, <it>Λ</it>'s and <it>Ξ</it>'s, with density <it>ρ</it>≈2<it>ρ</it><inf>0</inf>, strangeness fraction ¦S¦/<it>A</it>≈1 and charge fraction <it>q/A</it>≈0, comparable to the properties of hypothesized strange quark matter. These features are well reproduced by a generalized Bethe-Weizsäcker mass formula which is used here to derive strong-decay stability regions and weak-decay patterns for multi-strange baryonic nuclei.