Spontaneous fission modes and lifetimes of super-heavy elements in the nuclear density functional theory

Lifetimes of super-heavy (SH) nuclei are primarily governed by alpha decay and spontaneous fission (SF). Here we study the competing decay modes of even-even SH isotopes with 108 <= Z <= 126 and 148 <= N <= 188 using the state-of-the-art self-consistent nuclear density functional theory framework capable of describing the competition between nuclear attraction and electrostatic repulsion. The collective mass tensor of the fissioning superfluid nucleus is computed by means of the cranking approximation to the adiabatic time-dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach. Along the path to fission, our calculations allow for the simultaneous breaking of axial and space inversion symmetries; this may result in lowering SF lifetimes by more than seven orders of magnitude in some cases. We predict two competing SF modes: reflection-symmetric and reflection-asymmetric.The shortest-lived SH isotopes decay by SF; they are expected to lie in a narrow corridor formed by $^{280}$Hs, $^{284}$Fl, and $^{284}_{118}$Uuo that separates the regions of SH nuclei synthesized in "cold fusion" and "hot fusion" reactions. The region of long-lived SH nuclei is expected to be centered on $^{294}$Ds with a total half-life of ?1.5 days.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Collective inertia and fission barriers within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock theory

Spontaneous fission barriers, quadrupole inertia, and zero-point quadrupole-energy corrections are calculated for 252,256,258Fm in the framework of the self-consistent Skyrme-Hartree-Fock+BCS theory. Two ways of computing dynamical inertia are employed: the Gaussian Overlap Approximation to the Generator Coordinate Method and cranking ansatz. The Skyrme results are compared with those of the Gogny-Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov model.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, missing factor of 2 found, figures corrected, to be published in International Journal of Modern Physics

Pairing properties of superheavy nuclei

Pairing properties of even-even superheavy N=184 isotones are studied within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock+BCS approach. In the particle-hole channel we take the Skyrme energy density functional SLy4, while in the particle-particle channel we employ the seniority pairing force and zero-range delta-interactions with different forms of density dependence. We conclude that the calculated static fission trajectories weakly depend on the specific form of the delta-pairing interaction. We also investigate the impact of triaxiality on the inner fission barrier and find a rather strong Z dependence of the effect.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, submitted to International Journal of Modern Physics