Evidence for a dissipative friction mechanism based on 8Be fragments from the interaction of 12C with 59Co

It is suggested that the spectra of the ⁸Be ground-state (gs) nuclei produced in the interaction of ¹²C with ⁵⁹Co at incident energies varying from 8.3 to 33.3 MeV/amu can be explained by introducing a dissipative friction interaction mechanism preceding projectile break-up. Received: 27 March 2000 / Accepted: 11 April 2000     

Incomplete fusion reactions: Analysis of excitation functions and recoil range distributions in 16O + 51V

Incomplete fusion reactions were investigated by measuring the excitation functions of nine evaporation residues in ¹⁶O + ⁵¹V reaction in the beam energy 4-6 MeV/amu, using the well-known recoil catcher technique and gamma-ray spectrometry. The experimental data were compared with that obtained from Monte Carlo simulation calculations using the PACE2 code. The results indicate the presence of incomplete fusion process in the production of two alpha emission products. This was further confirmed by the measurement of recoil range distribution of these isotopes at 96 MeV beam energy. Calculations of the average angular momentum associated with these products revealed the peripheral nature of these ICF reactions. Received: 20 June 2001 / Accepted: 11 September 2001     

Energy spectra and angular distribution of projectile-like fragments in 84 MeV <Superscript>12</Superscript>C + <Superscript>169</Superscript>Tm

Kinetic-energy spectra and angular distribution of projectile-like fragments have been measured in the reaction of 84 MeV ¹²C on ¹⁶⁹Tm, using the surface barrier silicon-based ΔE-E telescopes. The fragments close to the projectile show typical spectra of quasi-elastic transfer reactions, which were found to be in agreement with the calculations based on the direct surface transfer reaction model. A significant cross-section of fast alpha-particles was found at forward angles, reminiscent of incomplete fusion reactions, which could be explained in terms of the direct surface transfer reaction model after taking into account the level density of continuum states in the heavy reaction product. The results have been explained in terms of the continuous evolution of the reaction mechanism as a function of the mass transfer. Received: 13 March 2002 / Accepted: 3 May 2002     

Dissipative dynamics of fission in the framework of asymptotic expansion of Fokker-Planck equation

The dynamics of fission has been formulated by generalising the asymptotic expansion of the Fokker-Planck equation in terms of the strength of the fluctuations where the diffusion coefficients depend on the stochastic variables explicitly. The prescission neutron multiplicities and mean kinetic energies of the evaporated neutrons have been calculated and compared with the respective experimental data over a wide range of excitation energy and compound nuclear mass. The mean and the variance of the total kinetic energies of the fission fragments have been calculated and compared with the experimental values. Received: 8 September 1999 / Revised version: 22 November 1999     

The role of the entrance channel in the fusion of massive nuclei

The role of the entrance channel in the fusion-fission reactions leading to nearly the same superheavy compound nucleus is studied in the framework of dynamic model. The calculations are done for ⁴⁸Ca +²⁴⁴Pu and ^74,76Ge +²⁰⁸Pb reactions which could lead to formation of superheavy element Z = 114. It is shown that for these reactions there is an energy window for the values of the bombarding energy at which a capture probability is sufficiently large. Together with the restriction coming from the intrinsic barrier for fusion, it helps to find an optimal value of the bombarding energy for a given projectile--target combination. Received: 15 July 1998     

Study of the fusion-fission process in the 35Cl +24Mg reaction

Fusion-fission and fully energy-damped binary processes of the ³⁵Cl+²⁴Mg reaction were investigated using particle-particle coincidence techniques at a ³⁵Cl bombarding energy of E_lab≈ 8 MeV/nucleon. Inclusive data were also taken in order to determine the partial wave distribution of the fusion process. The fragment-fragment correlation data show that the majority of events arises from a binary-decay process with a relatively large multiplicity of secondary light-charged particles emitted by the two primary excited fragments in the exit channel. No evidence is observed for ternary-breakup processes, as expected from the systematics recently established for incident energies below 15 MeV/nucleon and for a large number of reactions. The binary-process results are compared with predictions of statistical-model calculations. The calculations were performed using the Hauser-Feshbach method, based on the available phase space at the scission point of the compound nucleus. This new method uses temperature-dependent level densities and its predictions are in good agreement with the presented experimental data, thus consistent with the fusion-fission origin of the binary fully-damped yields. Received: 12 March 1998     

Fusion around the barrier in 11,9Be +209Bi

The ⁹Be +²⁰⁹Bi fusion cross sections were measured in the range 37.5 MeV ≤ E _lab ≤ 45.0 MeV at the Munich Tandem via the observation of ground state α-decay of the evaporation residues. Fusion cross sections of ²⁰⁹Bi with the “halo”¹¹Be unstable projectile in the region around the Coulomb barrier were deduced from an experiment done with the same technique at the RIKEN Ring Cyclotron. Above the Coulomb barrier the ¹¹Be cross sections are larger than the ⁹Be ones in agreement with theoretical predictions based on the larger ¹¹Be halo radius. Also below the barrier these theories foresee the same behavior in disagreement with the experimental results, since the two cross sections are rather similar. Received: 2 April 1998     

Entrance channel potentials in the synthesis of the heaviest nuclei

Entrance channel potentials in nucleus-nucleus collisions, relevant for the synthesis of superheavy elements, are systematically studied within a semi-microscopic approach, where microscopic nuclear densities of the colliding spherical or deformed nuclei are used in semi-classical expressions of the energy-density functional. From experimental data on fusion windows evidence is found that the existence of pockets in the entrance channel potentials is crucial for fusion. Criteria for the choice of the best collision systems for the synthesis of superheavy elements are discussed. Received: 14 May 2002 / Accepted: 6 June 2002 / Published online: 26 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: v.denisov@gsi.de, denisov@kinr.kiev.ua RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: w.nrnbrg@gsi.de Communicated by P. Schuck     

Fission fragment anisotropies for 19F +209Bi system

The fission fragment angular distributions have been measured for the system ¹⁹F +²⁰⁹Bi over a range of bombarding energies from 88.0 MeV to 125.6 MeV. The measured fission fragment anisotropies are in agreement with the saddle point statistical model calculations in the above energy range. Combining these data with those available for ¹¹B, ¹²C, ¹⁴N, ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O +²⁰⁹Bi, ²⁰⁸Pb systems, it is concluded that the spherical target plus projectile systems behave “normal” from near- to above – barrier energies. This observation is in contrast to the “anomalous” anisotropies exhibited by the deformed actinide target – projectile systems at near – barrier energies. Received: 5 May 1999 / Revised version: 25 July 1999     

Fast fission mechanism and duality of the diffusion process

The reaction of ²³⁸U with ¹²C was studied radiochemically with the purpose of elucidating fast fission characteristics. From the difference in the mass distribution below and above the critical energy where fast fission is predicted to set in, fast fission component was extracted in far-asymmetric mass region and interpreted as the mass diffusion following the Fokker-Planck equation. Anomalous charge dispersion widths in the corresponding mass region and a sudden increase of the whole mass distribution width at the critical energy were also observed to support the above result. The reaction time of fast fission deduced from the width and position of the mass distribution was 5×10⁻²¹s as well by taking into account the effect of neutron emission during the diffusion process, which turned out to be more than one order of magnitude longer than the corresponding life time of typical deep inelastic scattering but substantially short compared to ordinary fusion-fission life time. Evaluation of the driving potential for mass drift required dinuclear configuration be of an elongated or deformed form for fast fission in contrast to a more compact form for the deep-inelastic process. Received: 11 November 1997     

Measurement of fusion excitation functions of 27, 29, 31Al + 197Au

A systematic study of the sub-barrier fusion reactions with neutron-rich projectiles has been carried out for three isotopes ^27,29,31Al bombarding a ¹⁹⁷Au target. A target chamber equipped with a target stack and sets of MWPC was employed in order to enhance the efficiency of the radioactive beam experiment. Coupled-channel calculations including the quadrupole excitations do not well fit the measured fusion excitation functions, whereas flat barrier distributions to represent the coupling to the neutron transfer largely account for the observed enhancement of the sub-barrier fusion cross-sections. Received: 13 March 2001 / Accepted: 27 April 2001     

Synthesis and decay properties of superheavy atoms in nuclear reactions induced by stable and radioactive ion beams

This talk consists of two parts. The first one presents the results of investigations performed in 1998-2000 in Dubna on the synthesis of superheavy nuclei in reactions induced by ⁴⁸Ca ions. The radioactive decay properties of the nuclei, indicating a considerable increase in the α-decay and spontaneous fission half-lives of the isotopes of elements 110-116 when approaching the closed neutron shell at N = 184, are given. In the second part the possible ways of advancing into the region of more neutron-rich nuclei, using stable and radioactive ion beams, are discussed. Since so far no intense radioactive ion beams are available, some experiments with stable beams are considered as a test for the suggested ideas. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001     

Variation of total kinetic energy and mass distributions in the fusion-fission reaction of 16O,19F + 209Bi at near barrier energies

Fission fragment mass and energy distributions and their correlations have been measured for the ¹⁶O and ¹⁹F + ²⁰⁹Bi reactions over a wide range of excitation energies ( E ^* = 30-50 MeV). It is observed that in the case of ¹⁶O + ²⁰⁹Bi reaction, the average total fragment kinetic energy, <TKE> is nearly independent of the bombarding energy. However, in the case of ¹⁹F + ²⁰⁹Bi reaction, the average total kinetic energy of the fission fragments shows a peaking behaviour near the barrier. The variation in <TKE> at near barrier energies in the ¹⁹F + ²⁰⁹Bi system seems to be correlated with corresponding strong variation in the variance of the fragment mass distribution. The present results may imply certain dynamical effects leading to compact scission configurations in the fission of ¹⁹F + ²⁰⁹Bi system at near barrier bombarding energies. Received: 9 April 2001 / Accepted: 26 May 2001     

Search for dynamical effects in the fission decay in the 240 MeV 32S + 100Mo reaction

Light particles in coincidence with evaporation residues and heavy fragments have been measured by a 4π charged-particle detector at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (Padua) for the 240 MeV ³²S + ¹⁰⁰Mo reaction leading to the ¹³²Ce composite system at 152 MeV of excitation energy. Energy spectra of the alpha-particles in coincidence with fission fragments were extracted for many correlation angles both in plane and out of plane. A prominent out-of-plane emission was observed, consistent with the pattern for the near-scission emission. From the fit to the spectra, the pre-scission alpha-particle multiplicity of 0.040±0.006 was obtained. This value is reproduced by the code PACE2 without the inclusion of a delay time for fission. The presence of fast fission, which could be responsible for this result, is discussed. Received: 6 August 2002 / Accepted: 9 October 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: moro@na.infn.it Communicated by C. Signorini     

Calculation of the Coulomb potential between spherical-deformed and deformed-deformed nuclei using the Monte Carlo method

The Coulomb potential between spherical-deformed and deformed-deformed nuclei has been calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The results obtained for the Coulomb potential in the ¹⁶O$ + $²³⁸U and ²⁷Al$ + $⁷⁰Ge reactions are in good agreement with those obtained using the double-folding method. The simulation technique employed here has the ability of calculating the Coulomb potential taking into account the finite diffuseness parameter, all the possible deformation degrees of freedom, and different orientations of the symmetry axes of the target and the projectile nuclei with respect to each other. The accuracy of this simulation technique is high and the computer time taken to do these calculations is much less than those of the double-folding method.     

Fusion near the Coulomb barrier for the synthesis of heavy and superheavy elements: A theoretical approach

The compound nucleus formation is considered as a two-step process of touching and subsequent tunneling of the projectile into the target. The deep minima in the potential energy curve are due to shell effects in the experimental binding energies and give possible target-projectile combinations for the synthesis of heavy and superheavy elements. The asymmetric channels thus obtained are in remarkable agreement with the known experimental channels. In our model, the colliding partners are first shown to be captured in the pocket behind the outer (touching) barrier and the composite system so formed finally tunnels through the inner (fusion) barrier to form the resulting compound nucleus. These calculations reveal the importance of the fusion barrier, which occur only for the asymmetric target-projectile combinations. The calculated fusion cross-sections show a reasonable comparison with the observed one-neutron evaporation residue cross-sections. An estimate of the excitation energy carried by the compound nucleus is also obtained from our model calculations.     

Complete and incomplete fusion in reactions of 7Li + 56Fe at E(7Li) = 50 and 68 MeV from analysis of recoil range and light-particle measurements

Excitation functions for the production of eight radioactive products of the reactions of ⁷Li on ⁵⁶Fe have been measured up to E(⁷ Li) = 89 MeV. Recoil range distributions for these products, together with inclusive proton, deuteron, triton and alpha spectra, have been measured at energies of 50 and 68 MeV. The α, t and d spectra show characteristic “break-up” components at forward angles, while the recoil distributions show evidence of complete fusion and incomplete-fusion process ⁵⁶Fe( ⁷Li,α) ⁵⁹Co ^* . A parallel study on ⁵⁵Mn shows some evidences of the ( ⁷Li,t) incomplete-fusion process, but the cross-section for this process is significantly less than for the triton fusion process. The recoil distributions can be reproduced on the assumption that essentially all the observed break-up fragments are in fact associated with incomplete fusion, but uncertainties in normalisation leave open the possibility of a significant contribution of pure break-up. A diffraction model of the ( ⁷Li,α) transfer process reproduces the observed break-up α spectra with some success. Received: 29 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 November 2001     

Strong reaction channels at barrier energies in the system 6Li + 208Pb

Large cross-section reaction channels were measured in the systems ⁶Li( ⁷Li) + ²⁰⁸Pb with high statistical accuracy at 5(3) energies around the Coulomb barrier from 29 to 39 MeV. These channels were assigned (mainly) to the breakup of ⁶Li, very loosely bound, into α + d and to the breakup of ⁵Li, produced by n-transfer to the target, into α + p and to similar processes with ⁷Li beam. The cross-sections with ⁶Li, S _α = 1.475 MeV, are systematically larger than the ⁷Li ones. This reflects, most likely, the higher binding energy of ⁷Li, S _α = 2.468 MeV. Theoretical predictions for the ⁶Li + ²⁰⁸Pb system which include for ⁶Li breakup to continuum states within a continuum discretized coupled-channels approach (CDCC) and resonant breakup plus n-transfer with DWBA reproduce the angular distribution shapes but still underestimate the cross-sections by a factor ∼ 3. Received: 15 January 2001 / Accepted: 3 March 2001     

Reaction dynamics of synthesis of superheavy elements

Based on the theory of the compound nucleus reaction, a brief review is given on the special aspects of the reaction dynamics in the synthesis of the superheavy elements (SHE), where the fusion probability is the most unknown factor. A new viewpoint of the fusion reaction is proposed that it consists of two processes; the first process up to the contact of two nuclei of the incident channel and the second one of a dynamical evolution to the spherical compound nucleus from the contact configuration. The fusion probability is, thus, given as a product of a contact probability and a formation probability. Analytic studies of the latter probability are discussed in the one-dimensional model, where a simple expression is given to the so-called extra-push energy in terms of the reduced friction, the curvature parameter of the conditional saddle point and the nuclear temperature. Preliminary results of numerical analyses of the contact probability are given, using the surface friction model (SFM). Remarks are given on the present status of our knowledge and for future developments. Received: 1 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 December 2001