Fermion dynamical symmetry and identical bands

Recent general attention has been directed to the phenomenon of identical bands in both normally deformed and superdeformed nuclei. This paper discusses the possibility that such behavior results from a dynamical symmetry of the nuclear many-body system. Phenomenology and the basis principles of Lie algebras are used to place conditions on the acceptable properties of a candidate symmetry. We find that quite general arguments require that such a symmetry have a minimum of 21 generators with a microscopic fermion interpretation. (author). 9 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab