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Background: The nature of asymmetric fission of preactinides is not yet understood in detail, despite intense experimental and theoretical studies carried out at present. Purpose: The study of asymmetric and symmetric fission of Hg180,182,183 and Pt178 nuclei as a function of their excitation energy and isospin. Methods: Mass-energy distributions of fission fragments of Hg180, Pt178 (two protons less than Hg180), and Hg182 (two neutrons more than Hg180) formed in the Ar36+Sm144, Nd142, and Ca40+Nd142 reactions were measured at energies near and above the Coulomb barrier. Fission of Hg183 obtained in the reaction of Ca40 with Nd143 was also investigated to see if one extra neutron could lead to dramatic changes in the fission process due to the shape-staggering effect in radii, known in Hg183. The measurements were performed with the double-arm time-of-flight spectrometer CORSET. Results: The observed peculiarities in the fission fragment mass-energy distributions for all studied nuclei may be explained by the presence of a symmetric fission mode and three asymmetric fission modes, manifested by the different total kinetic energies and fragment mass splits. The yield of symmetric mode grows with increasing excitation energy of compound nucleus. Conclusions: The investigated properties of asymmetric fission of Hg180,182,183 and Pt178 nuclei point out the existence of well-deformed proton shell at Z≈36 and a less deformed proton shell at Z ≈ 46.

Background: Observation of asymmetric fission of Hg180 has led to intensive theoretical and experimental studies of fission of neutron-deficient nuclei in the lead region. Purpose: The study of asymmetric and symmetric fission modes of Hg180,190 and Pb184,192,202 nuclei. Methods: Mass-energy distributions of fission fragments of Hg180,190 and Pb184 formed in the Ar36+Sm144,154 and Ca40+Sm144 reactions, respectively, at energies near the Coulomb barrier have been measured using the double-arm time-of-flight spectrometer CORSET and compared with previously measured Pb192,202 isotopes produced in the Ca48+Sm144,154 reactions. The mass distributions for Hg180,190 and Pb184,192,202 together with old data for Ir187, Au195, Hg198, Tl201, Bi205,207, Po210, and At213 [J. Nucl. Phys. 53, 1225 (1991)] have been decomposed into symmetric and asymmetric fission modes. The total kinetic-energy distributions for different fission fragment mass regions have been analyzed for Hg180,190 and Pb184. Results: The stabilization role of proton numbers at Z≈36, 38, Z≈45, 46, and Z=28/50 in asymmetric fission of excited preactinide nuclei has been observed. The high (≈145-MeV) and the low (≈128-MeV) energy components have been found in the total kinetic-energy distributions of Hg180,190 fission fragments corresponding to the fragments with proton numbers near Z≈46 and Z≈36, respectively. In the case of fission of Pb184 only the low-energy component (≈135MeV) for the fragments with masses corresponding to the proton numbers Z≈36 and 46 has been found. Conclusions: The studied properties of asymmetric fission of Hg180,190 and Pb184,192,202 nuclei point out the existence of well deformed proton shell at Z≈36 and less deformed proton shell at Z≈46.

The overlap in the mass symmetric region of the reaction products from fusion-fission and quasifission complicates the assignment of symmetric events to complete fusion on the basis of the mass distribution alone. Additional observables, besides mass distribution, should be used. The approach proposed here relies on the fact that fusion-fission and quasifission are characterized by different timescales. Within this framework, we performed a detailed study to find out how timescales can be probed via angular momentum transfer as measured via γ-ray multiplicities. The proof of principle was carried out by measuring the γ rays in coincidence with fusion-fission and quasielastic binary fragments in the reaction S32 + Au197 at beam energy near the Coulomb barrier. The experiment was performed at the Accélérateur Linéaire Tandem à Orsay (ALTO) facility at the Institut De Physique Nucléaire (IPN) in Orsay (France) using a detection setup consisting of ORGAM (ORsay GAMma) and PARIS (Photon Array Radioactive Ion Stable beams) γ-detectors arrays coupled with the CORSET (CORrelation SETup) time-of-flight spectrometer. Results of the sensitivity of this method to distinguish reaction channels with different dynamics are discussed.

Background: The formation of superheavy nuclei in fusion reactions is suppressed by a competing quasifission process. The competition between the formation of the compound nucleus and the quasifission depends strongly on the reaction entrance channel. Purpose: The investigation of fission and quasifission processes in the formation of Z=120 superheavy composite systems in the 52,54Cr+248Cm and 68Zn+232Th reactions, and their comparison with the 64Ni+238U reaction at energies in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier. Methods: Mass-energy distributions of fissionlike fragments formed in the reactions 52,54Cr+248Cm and 68Zn+232Th at energies near the Coulomb barrier were measured using the double-arm time-of-flight spectrometer CORSET. Results: Capture cross sections for the reactions under investigation were measured. The most probable fragment masses and total kinetic energies as well as their variances in dependence on the interaction energy were studied for asymmetric and symmetric fragments. The fusion probabilities were estimated from the analysis of mass-energy distributions. Conclusions: The estimated fusion probability drops down by a factor of 103 in the 54Cr+248Cm reaction compared to the reactions of 48Ca ions with actinides. Among the studied reactions, the 54Cr+248Cm is the most favorable one for the production of the superheavy element with Z=120.

Background: The formation of superheavy nuclei in fusion reactions is suppressed by a competing quasifission process. The competition between the formation of the compound nucleus and the quasifission depends strongly on the reaction entrance channel. Purpose: The investigation of fission and quasifission processes in the formation of Z=120 superheavy composite systems in the 52,54Cr+248Cm and 68Zn+232Th reactions, and their comparison with the 64Ni+238U reaction at energies in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier. Methods: Mass-energy distributions of fissionlike fragments formed in the reactions 52,54Cr+248Cm and 68Zn+232Th at energies near the Coulomb barrier were measured using the double-arm time-of-flight spectrometer CORSET. Results: Capture cross sections for the reactions under investigation were measured. The most probable fragment masses and total kinetic energies as well as their variances in dependence on the interaction energy were studied for asymmetric and symmetric fragments. The fusion probabilities were estimated from the analysis of mass-energy distributions. Conclusions: The estimated fusion probability drops down by a factor of 103 in the 54Cr+248Cm reaction compared to the reactions of 48Ca ions with actinides. Among the studied reactions, the 54Cr+248Cm is the most favorable one for the production of the superheavy element with Z=120. peerReviewed

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