  We study the quantum mechanical states of electrons situated on a cylindrical
surface of finite axial length to model a semiconductor core-shell nanowire. We
calculate the conductance in the presence of a longitudinal magnetic field by
weakly coupling the cylinder to semi-infinite leads. Spin effects are accounted
for through Zeeman coupling and Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI). Emphasis
is on manifestations of flux-periodic (FP) oscillations and we show how factors
such as impurities, contact geometry and spin affect them. Oscillations survive
and remain periodic in the presence of impurities, noncircular contacts and
SOI, while Zeeman splitting results in aperiodicity, beating patterns and
additional background fluctuations. Our results are in qualitative agreement
with recent magnetotransport experiments performed on GaAs/InAs core-shell
nanowires. Lastly, we propose methods of data analysis for detecting the
presence of Rashba SOI in core-shell systems and for estimating the electron
g-factor in the shell.
