= Ben Roy Mottelson
{c}
{tag=Physicist}
{wiki}
= Ben Mottelson
{c}
{synonym}
= Ben R. Mottelson
{c}
{synonym}
<Ben Mottelson> helped connect independent-particle nuclear motion with collective excitations. In a simple positive-<parity>, $K=0$ <ground state> <nuclear rotational band> of an <even-even nucleus>, the excitation energies approximately follow $E_J=\hbar^2J(J+1)/(2\mathcal I)$ for $J=0,2,4,\ldots$, where $\mathcal I$ is a <moment of inertia>. Thus $E_4/E_2=10/3$ in this idealization. Comparing such patterns and transition strengths with observation distinguishes organized collective motion from an arbitrary list of separate particle excitations.<Elementary Modes of Excitation in the Nucleus by Ben Roy Mottelson>[Nobel lecture, pp. 236–237, independent-particle and collective descriptions; ideal-rotor ratio calculated here]{ref}
A <physicist>.https://nbia.nbi.ku.dk/members/mottelson/[Independent professional identity]{ref}
\Image[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Redirect/file/Mottelson,Ben_1963_Kopenhagen.jpg?width=260]
{title=Portrait of <Ben Roy Mottelson>}
{description=GFHund, July 1963; existing Commons grayscale and noise adjustments by Materialscientist. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/[CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.}
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{width=260}
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