16 research outputs found
Future of superheavy element research: Which nuclei could be synthesized within the next few years?
Low values of the fusion cross sections and very short half-lives of nuclei
with Z120 put obstacles in synthesis of new elements. Different nuclear
reactions (fusion of stable and radioactive nuclei, multi-nucleon transfers and
neutron capture), which could be used for the production of new isotopes of
superheavy (SH) elements, are discussed in the paper. The gap of unknown SH
nuclei, located between the isotopes which were produced earlier in the cold
and hot fusion reactions, can be filled in fusion reactions of Ca with
available lighter isotopes of Pu, Am, and Cm. Cross sections for the production
of these nuclei are predicted to be rather large, and the corresponding
experiments can be easily performed at existing facilities. For the first time,
a narrow pathway is found to the middle of the island of stability owing to
possible -decay of SH isotopes which can be formed in ordinary fusion
reactions of stable nuclei. Multi-nucleon transfer processes at near barrier
collisions of heavy (and very heavy, U-like) ions are shown to be quite
realistic reaction mechanism allowing us to produce new neutron enriched heavy
nuclei located in the unexplored upper part of the nuclear map. Neutron capture
reactions can be also used for the production of the long-living neutron rich
SH nuclei. Strong neutron fluxes might be provided by pulsed nuclear reactors
and by nuclear explosions in laboratory conditions and by supernova explosions
in nature. All these possibilities are discussed in the paper.Comment: An Invited Plenary Talk given by Valeriy I. Zagrebaev at the 11th
International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (NN2012), San Antonio,
Texas, USA, May 27-June 1, 2012. To appear in the NN2012 Proceedings in
Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS
Neutron-induced astrophysical reaction rates for translead nuclei
Neutron-induced reaction rates, including fission, are calculated in the
temperature range 1.d8 <T (K) < 1.d10 within the framework of the statistical
model for targets with atomic number 83 < Z < 119 (from Po to Uuo) from the
neutron to the proton drip-line. Four sets of rates have been calculated,
utilizing - where possible - consistent nuclear data for neutron separation
energies and fission barriers from Thomas-Fermi (TF), Extended Thomas-Fermi
plus Strutinsky Integral (ETFSI), Finite-Range Droplet Model (FRDM) and
Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov (HFB) predictions. Tables of calculated values as well
as analytic seven parameter fits in the standard REACLIB format are supplied.
We also discuss the sensitivity of the rates to the input, aiming at a better
understanding of the uncertainties introduced by the nuclear input.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables in paper, 2 in Annex and online tables
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