Collinear cluster tri-partition of

Experimental results in favour of the existence of a new type of cluster decay called “collinear cluster tri-partition”, CCT, are presented. They are based on two different experiments with binary coincidences and measurements of the masses and energies of the two fragments, as well as using in one of the experiments observables sensitive to the nuclear charge of the fission fragments. A relatively high yield of the CCT-effect (more than 10-3per binary fission) is likely due to the favourable Q -values (more positive than binary) and is expected due to a collective motion through very elongated (hyper-deformed) pre-scission shapes of the mother system. The process is considered to result from a sequential process, where a heavy cluster (lead as in the case of known cluster radioactivity) is replaced by pairs of two lighter clusters such as the magic isotopes of Sn/Ni or Sn/Ge