Phase transitions and the geometric properties of the interacting boson model

Abstract
A line of first order phase transitions terminating in a second-order phase transition separates the parameter space of the interacting boson model into a vibrator region [U(59) limit] and a rotor region [SU(3) and O(6) limits]. This first order phase transition line is surrounded by two spinodal lines demarking the limits of metastable nuclear isomers. No other islands of metastability exist in this parameter space.