Inspirations from the theories of Bohr and Mottelson: a Canadian perspective

The theories developed by Bohr and Mottelson have inspired much of the world-wide experimental investigation into the structure of the atomic nucleus. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the awarding of their Nobel prize, we reflect on some of the experimental developments made in understanding the structure of nuclei. We have chosen to focus on experiments performed in Canada, or having strong ties to Canada, and the work included here spans virtually the whole of the second half of the 20th century. The 8π Spectrometer, which figures prominently in this story, was a novel departure for funding science in Canada that involved an intimate collaboration between a Crown Corporation (Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd) and University research, and enabled many of the insights discussed here.