Comparison of the spontaneous fission of 244Cm and 252Cf: (I). Fragment masses and kinetic energies

The energy of both fission fragments of ²⁴⁴Cm and ²⁵²Cf, respectively, was measured in coincidence with the prompt neutrons (see part II). Energy calibration of the surface-barrier detectors was done after the method of Schmitt et al. with the ²⁵²Cf fragments. Mean values and rms widths of the mass and energy distributions of both isotopes are calculated and compared with the results of other authors. The total kinetic energy of ²⁴⁴Cm fragments is at least as high as that of ²⁵²Cf fragments.