Multiply strange nuclear systems

In these systems, the presence of filled Λ orbitals blocks the strong decay ΞN→ΛΛ, leading to a strangeness fraction fs=|S|/ A∼1, density ρ∼(2--3)ρ0, and charge fraction fq in the range -0.1<q/A<0.1, comparable to that of hypothetical stable strange quark matter (''strangelets''), but with a low binding energy per particle EB/A∼-10 to -20 MeV. We compare with an approximate mass formula which qualitatively describes the results of the mean field calculations. Such weakly bound multi-strange objects can be stable for very large A, unlike ordinary nuclei, since the Coulomb repulsion generated by the prtons is largely cancelled by the presence of a comparable number of Ξ-'s, leading to a small net charge (positive or negative) of order A1/3. We comment on the weak decays of such subjects and the possibility of their production in relativistic heavy ion collisions. copyright 1994 Academic Press, Inc