Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov Calculations of the Rotational Band of the Very Heavy ²⁵⁴No Nucleus

We report on Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) calculations of the ground-state rotationnal band of the heavy nucleus $^{254}$No recently observed experimentally. The calculated quadrupole deformation is consistent with the experimental value of $\beta=0.27$ and is almost constant over the whole band. We also reproduce fairly well the excitation spectra and moments of inertia of this isotope up to the maximal experimentally observed state of spin 20. The rather high stability of this nucleus against fission is illustrated by the deformation energy curve providing very high fission barriers at zero spin within the HFB and HFB plus Lipkin-Nogami formalisms. The variation of these barriers with increased angular velocities is also studied.