Theory of fission-mass distributions demonstrated for 226Ra, 236U, 258Fm

With the mass asymmetry described by the dynamical collective fragmentation coordinate ξ, and with use of the asymmetric two-center shell model, the fission mass distributions for 226Ra, 236U, and 258Fm (which are typical representatives for triple-, double-, and single-humped distributions) are explained

Collective effects on mass asymmetry in fission

the development of the mass asymmetry vibrations in the final stages of the fission process is studied with an approximate treatment of the coupling to relative motion. A parametrized friction is introduced and its effects are studied. Numerical results are presented for 236U, together with estimates for the kinetic energy of the fragments. RADIOACTIVITY, FISSION 236U; calculated mass distribution, kinetic energy distribution. Collective dynamics, shell correction method, cranking model

Comment on "New atomic mechanism for positron production in heavy-ion collisoins"

A Comment on the Letter by W. Lichten and A. Robatino, Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 781 (1985). See Also: W. Lichten and A. Robatino, New atomic mechanism for positron production in heavy-ion collisions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 781 (1985). http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v54/i8/p781_

Theory of positron production in heavy-ion collisions

Collisions of very heavy ions at energies close to the Coulomb barrier are discussed as a unique tool to study the behavior of the electron-positron field in the presence of strong external electromagnetic fields. To calculate the excitation processes induced by the collision dynamics, a semiclassical model is employed and adapted to describe the field-theoretical many-particle system. An expansion in the adiabatic molecular basis is chosen. Energies and matrix elements are calculated using the monopole approximation. In a supercritical (Z1+Z2≳173) quasiatomic system the 1s level joins the antiparticle continuum and becomes a resonance, rendering the neutral vacuum state unstable. Several methods of treating the corresponding time-dependent problem are discussed. A projection-operator technique is introduced for a fully dynamical treatment of the resonance. Positron excitation rates in s1/2 and p1/2 states are obtained by numerical solution of the coupled-channel equations and are compared with results from first- plus second-order perturbation theory. Calculations are performed for subcritical and supercritical collisions of Pb-Pb, Pb-U, U-U, and U-Cf. Strong relativistic deformations of the wave functions and the growing contributions from inner-shell bound states lead to a very steep Z dependence of positron production. The results are compared with available data from experiments done at GSI. Correlations between electrons and positrons are briefly discussed

Spin polarization of electrons induced by strong collisional magnetic fields

We calculate the spin polarization of 1sσ vacancies and emitted δ electrons induced by the strong magnetic field (|Bmax|∼1016G) in collisions of very heavy ions (Z1+Z2=178). The electron excitations are determined by the solution of coupled-channel equations within the quasimolecular basis states including the vector potential. The formulation is extended to the many-electron case. Spin polarizations of the order of 5-10% for impact energies below the Coulomb barrier are predicted

Collective sideward flow of nuclear matter in violent high-energy heavy-ion collisions

Angular and energy distributions of fragments emitted from fast nucleus-nucleus collisions (Ne--> U at 250, 400, and 800 MeV/N) are calculated with use of nuclear fluid dynamics. A characteristic dependence of the energy spectra and angular distributions on the impact parameter is predicted. The preferential sideward emission of reaction fragments observed in the calculation for nearly central collisions seems to be supported by recent experimental data

Description of atomic excitations in heavy-ion reactions

Excitations of the atomic shell in heavy-ion collisions are influenced by the presence of a nuclear reaction. In the present Rapid Communication we point out the equivalence between a semiclassical description based on the nuclear autocorrelation function with an earlier model which employs a distribution of reaction times f(T). For the example of U+U collisions, results of coupled-channel calculations for positron creation and K-hole excitations are discussed for two schematic reaction models

Delta-electron emission in deep-inelastic heavy-ion collisions

This paper reports calculations of the influence of a reaction time T>10-21 s in deep-inelastic Xe-Pb collisions on the energy spectrum of δ electrons ejected in the same collision. It is shown that the lifetime of the superheavy composite system causes pronounced oscillations of width ε=h/T in the electron distribution, which survive the inclusion of multistep excitations and the folding with a lifetime distribution function. This effect may serve as an atomic clock for deep-inelastic collisions

Induced decay of composite JPC=1++ particles in atomic Coulomb fields

The electron-positron pairs observed in heavy-ion collisions at Gesellschaft für Schwerionen-forschung Darmstadt mbH have been interpreted as the decay products of yet unknown particles with masses around 1.8 MeV. The negative results of resonant Bhabha scattering experiments, however, do not support such an interpretation. Therefore we focus on a more complex decay scenario, where the e+e- lines result from a two-collision process. We discuss the induced decay of a metastable 1++ state into e+e- pairs. For most realizations of a 1++ state such a decay in leading order can only take place in the Coulomb field of a target atom. This fact has the attractive consequence that for such a state the Bhabha bounds are no longer valid. However, the absolute value of the e+e- production cross section turns out to be unacceptably small

Shakeoff of the vacuum polarization in quasimolecular collisions of very heavy ions

The theory of direct electron-positron pair production in the collision of heavy ions is formulated in the framework of the quasimolecular model. The pair production process acquires a collective nature for (Z1+Z2)α>1 and can be understood as the shakeoff of the strong vacuum polarization cloud formed in the quasimolecule. The total cross section is, e.g., 76 μb for Pb + Pb at Coulomb barrier energies