We present a statistical-model description of fission, in the framework of compound-nucleus decay, which is found to simultaneously reproduce data from both heavy-ion-induced fusion reactions and proton-induced spallation reactions at around 1 GeV. For the spallation reactions, the initial compound-nucleus population is predicted by the Liège Intranuclear Cascade Model. We are able to reproduce experimental fission probabilities and fission-fragment mass distributions in both reactions types with the same parameter sets. However, no unique parameter set was obtained for the fission probability. The introduction of fission transients can be offset by an increase of the ratio of level-density parameters for the saddle-point and ground-state configurations. Changes to the finite-range fission barriers could be offset by a scaling of the Bohr-Wheeler decay width as predicted by Kramers. The parameter sets presented allow accurate prediction of fission probabilities for excitation energies up to 300 MeV and spins up to 60 \hbar.
Heavy nuclei bombarded with protons and deuterons in the 1 GeV range have a large probability of undergoing a process of evaporation and fission; less frequently, the prompt emission of few intermediate-mass fragments can also be observed. We employ a recently developed microscopic approach, based on the Boltzmann-Langevin transport equation, to investigate the role of mean-field dynamics and phase-space fluctuations in these reactions. We find that the formation of few IMF's can be confused with asymmetric fission when relying on yield observables, but it can not be assimilated to the statist…
The CEM2k and LAQGSM codes have been recently developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to simulate nuclear reactions induced by particles and nuclei for a number of applications. We have benchmarked our codes against most available measured data at projectile energies from 10 MeV/A to 800 GeV/A and have compared our results with predictions of other current models used by the nuclear community. Here, we present a brief description of our codes and show illustrative results obtained with CEM2k and LAQGSM for A+p and A+A spallation, fission, and fragmentation reactions measured recently at GS…
The LAQGSM code has been recently developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to simulate nuclear reactions for proton radiography applications. We have benchmarked our code against most available measured data both for proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus interactions at incident energies from 10 MeV to 800 GeV and have compared our results with predictions of other current models used by the nuclear community. Here, we present a brief description of our code and show illustrative results obtained with LAQGSM for neutron spectra measured recently by Nakamura's groups for reactions induced by li…
The induced-activity investigations in off-line analysis performed in different experiments, concerning pre-actinide and actinide nuclei, are here presented and discussed. Generalized expressions for the determination of independent yields/cross sections of radioactive nuclei, formed in the targets, are derived and analysed. The fragment mass distribution from U-238, Th-232 and Ta-181 photofission at the bremsstrahlung end-point energies of 50 and 3500 MeV, and from Am-241, U-238 and Np-237 fission induced by 660-MeV protons, are scrutinized from the point of view of the multimodal fission app…
We investigate the prompt emission of few intermediate-mass fragments in spallation reactions induced by protons and deuterons in the 1 GeV range. Such emission has a minor contribution to the total reaction cross section, but it may overcome evaporation and fission channels in the formation of light nuclides. The role of mean-field dynamics and phase-space fluctuations in these reactions is investigated through the Boltzmann-Langevin transport equation. We found that a process of frustrated fragmentation and re-aggregation is a prominent mechanism of production of IMFs which can not be assimi…
Cross-section and neutron-emission data from heavy-ion fusion-fission reactions are consistent with a Kramers-modified statistical model which takes into account the collective motion of the system about the ground state; the temperature dependence of the location of fission transition points; and the orientation degree of freedom. We see no evidence to suggest that the nuclear viscosity departs from the surface-plus-window dissipation model. The strong increase in the nuclear viscosity above a temperature of ~1 MeV deduced by others is an artifact generated by an inadequate fission model.
We demonstrate that Bayesian machine learning can be used to treat the vast amount of experimental fission data which are noisy, incomplete, discrepant, and correlated. As an example, the two-dimensional cumulative fission yields (CFY) of neutron-induced fission of $^{238}$U are evaluated with energy dependencies and uncertainty qualifications. For independent fission yields (IFY) with very few experimental data, the heterogeneous data fusion of CFY and IFY is employed to interpolate the energy dependence. This work shows that Bayesian data fusion can facilitate the further utilization of impe…
A modified Woods-Saxon potential model is proposed for a unified description of the entrance channel fusion barrier and the fission barrier of fusion-fission reactions based on the Skyrme energy-density functional approach. The fusion excitation functions of 120 reactions have been systematically studied. The fusion (capture) cross sections are well described with the calculated potential and an empirical barrier distribution. Incorporating a statistical model (HIVAP code) for describing the decay of the compound nucleus, the evaporation residue (and fission) cross sections of 51 fusion-fissio…
Cross-section and neutron-emission data from heavy-ion fusion-fission reactions are consistent with the fission of fully equilibrated systems with fission lifetime estimates obtained via a Kramers-modified statistical model which takes into account the collective motion of the system about the ground state, the temperature dependence of the location and height of fission transition points, and the orientation degree of freedom. If the standard techniques for calculating fission lifetimes are used, then the calculated excitation-energy dependence of fission lifetimes is incorrect. We see no evi…
We analyzed the experimental data of the pre-scission neutron multiplicity in connection with fission fragments in the reaction $^{58}$Ni+$^{208}$Pb at the incident energy corresponding to the excitation energy of compound nucleus $E^{*}$=185.9 MeV, which was performed by DéMoN group. The relation between the pre-scission neutron multiplicity and each reaction process having different reaction time is investigated. In order to study the fusion-fission process accompanied by neutron emission, the fluctuation-dissipation model combined with a statistical model is employed. It is found that the f…
We present the current status of the improved Cascade-Exciton Model (CEM) code CEM2k and of the Los Alamos version of the Quark-Gluon String Model code LAQGSM. To describe fission and light-fragment (heavier than He4) production, both CEM2k and LAQGSM have been merged with the GEM2 code of Furihata. We present some results on proton- and deuteron-induced spallation, fission, and fragmentation reactions predicted by these extended versions of CEM2k and LAQGSM. We show that merging CEM2k and LAQGSM with GEM2 allows us to describe many fission and fragmentation reactions in addition to the spalla…
Accounting for viscous damping within Fokker-Planck equations led to various improvements in the understanding and analysis of nuclear fission of heavy nuclei. Analytical expressions for the fission time are typically provided by Kramers' theory, which improves on the Bohr-Wheeler estimate by including the time-scale related to many-particle dissipative processes along the deformation coordinate. However, Kramers' formula breaks down for sufficiently high excitation energies where Kramers' assumption of a large barrier no longer holds. In the regime $T>1$ MeV, Kramers' theory should be replace…
This dissertation deals with theoretical descriptions of nuclear fission and synthesis of superheavy elements via fusion. The associated shape evolutions are treated using a random-walk approach where both the potential energy and the nuclear level density influence the dynamics. The work in this thesis extends the random-walk model by, in addition to the previous description of fragment mass yields, also simulating how much kinetic energy the fission-fragments obtain and the number of neutrons they emit, as well as how these two quantities are correlated. The thesis also presents studies of h…
One of considered nowadays scenarios of proton - nucleus reaction is spallation. Its motivation is based on experimental final-state observations of one heavy nucleus, a small number of light fragments and numerous individual nucleons. It is theoretically described as two step process involving energy deposition in the target nucleus and subsequent evaporation. Several models, based on different assumptions, have been constructed in order to describe the spallation process. The main subject of this work is description of global average properties of proton induced spallation reactions in wide …
Some nearly-symmetric fusion reactions are systematically investigated with the improved quantum molecular dynamics (ImQMD) model. By introducing two-body inelastic scattering in the Fermi constraint procedure, the stability of an individual nucleus and the description of fusion cross sections at energies near the Coulomb barrier can be further improved. Simultaneously, the quasi-fission process in $^{154}$Sm+$^{160}$Gd is also investigated with the microscopic dynamics model for the first time. We find that at energies above the Bass barrier, the fusion probability is smaller than $10^{-5}$ f…
The two stages dynamical stochastic model developed earlier for description of fusion-fission reactions is applied to the calculation of mass- and energy-distributions of fission fragments of platinum isotopes in reaction ${\rm ^{36}Ar + ^{142}Nd \to ^{178-x}Pt + xn}$. The first stage of this model is the calculation of the approaching of projectile nucleus to the target nucleus. On the second stage of the model, the evolution of the system formed after the touching of the projectile and target nuclei is considered. The evolution of the system on both stages is described by three-dimensional L…
The yields of evaporation residues, fusion-fission and quasifission fragments in the $^{48}$Ca+$^{144,154}$Sm and $^{16}$O+$^{186}$W reactions are analyzed in the framework of the combined theoretical method based on the dinuclear system concept and advanced statistical model. The measured yields of evaporation residues for the $^{48}$Ca+$^{154}$Sm reaction can be well reproduced. The measured yields of fission fragments are decomposed into contributions coming from fusion-fission, quasifission, and fast-fission. The decrease in the measured yield of quasifission fragments in $^{48}$Ca+$^{154}…
Fusion dynamics and the onset of quasi-fission in reactions, leading to production of superheavy nuclei are investigated using the constrained molecular dynamics model. Constraints on the parameters of the nuclear equation of state are derived from experimental fusion probabilities. The obtained constraint on the modulus of incompressibility of nuclear matter K0 = 240 - 260 MeV is consistent with the results of previous study using the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation and also with constraints derived using the recent neutron star binary collision event GW170817. Unlike the modulus of inco…
A realistic microscopically-based quantum approach to the competition between fusion and quasi-fission in a heavy fusing system is applied to several reactions leading to $^{256}$No. Fusion and quasi-fission are described in terms of a diffusion process of nuclear shapes through a dynamical collective potential energy landscape which is initially diabatic and gradually becomes adiabatic. The microscopic ingredients of the theory are obtained with a realistic two-center shell model based on Woods-Saxon potentials. The results indicate that (i) the diabatic effects play a very important role in …
The dynamics of high-energy proton-induced spallation reactions on target nuclides of $^{136}$Xe, $^{59}$Ni, $^{56}$Fe, $^{208}$Pb, $^{184}$W, $^{181}$Ta, $^{197}$Au and $^{112}$Cd, are investigated with the quantum molecular dynamics transport model. The production mechanism of light nuclides and fission fragments is thoroughly analyzed. The statistical code GEMINI is employed in conjunction to the model for managing the decay of primary fragments. For the treatment of cluster emission during the preequilibrium stage, a surface coalescence model is implemented into the model. It is found that…
An attempt to unfold the respective influence of the fusion and fission stages on typical fission observables, and namely the neutron pre-scission multiplicity, is proposed. A four-dimensional dynamical stochastic Langevin model is used to calculate the decay by fission of excited compound nuclei produced in a wide set of heavy-ion collisions. The comparison of the results from such a calculation and experimental data is discussed, guided by predictions of the dynamical deterministic HICOL code for the compound-nucleus formation time. While the dependence of the latter on the entrance-channel …
A theory of the competition between fusion and quasi-fission in a heavy fusing system is proposed, which is based on a master equation and the two-center shell model. Fusion and quasi-fission arise from a diffusion process in an ensemble of nuclear shapes, each of which evolves towards the thermal equilibrium. The master equation describes the diffusion of the nuclear shapes due to quantum and thermal fluctuations. Other crucial physical effects like dissipation, ground-state shell effects, diabatic effects and rotational effects are also incorporated into the theory. The fusing system moves i…
The anisotropy in the angular distribution of the fusion-fission and quasifission fragments for the $^{16}$O+$^{238}$U, $^{19}$F+$^{208}$Pb and $^{32}$S+$^{208}$Pb reactions is studied by analyzing the angular momentum distributions of the dinuclear system and compound nucleus which are formed after capture and complete fusion, respectively. The orientation angles of axial symmetry axes of colliding nuclei to the beam direction are taken into account for the calculation of the variance of the projection of the total spin onto the fission axis. It is shown that the deviation of the experimental…
Global macroscopic features observed in the fully-damped binary processes in light di-nuclear systems, such as limiting angular momenta, mean total kinetic energies and energy thresholds for fusion-fission processes (''fission thresholds") are presented. Their deduced systematics are consistent with that obtained for heavier systems and follow a fusion-fission picture which can be described by a realistic rotating liquid drop model considering diffuse-surface and finite-nuclear-range effects.
We propose an effective method for the precise investigation of the fusion-fission mechanism in the superheavy-mass region, using the fluctuation-dissipation model. The trajectory calculation with friction is performed in the nuclear deformation space using the Langevin equation. In the reaction $^{48}$Ca+$^{244}$Pu, the trajectories are classified into the fusion-fission process, the quasi-fission process and the deep quasi-fission process. By analyzing the time evolution of each trajectory, the mechanism of each process is clearly revealed, i.e., it is explained why a trajectory takes a char…
The fusion excitation function is the important quantity in planning experiments for the synthesis of superheavy elements. Its values seem to be determined by the experimental study of the hindrance to complete fusion by the observation of mass, angular and energy distributions of the fissionlike fragments. There is ambiguity in establishment of the reaction mechanism leading to the observed binary fissionlike fragments. The fissionlike fragments can be produced in the quasifission, fast fission, and fusion-fission processes which have overlapping in the mass (angular, kinetic energy) distribu…
Fusion - fission probabilities in the synthesis of heaviest elements are discussed in the context of the latest experimental reports. Cross sections for superheavy nuclei are evaluated using "Fusion by Diffusion" (FBD) model. Predictive power of this approach is shown for experimentally known Lv, Og isotopes and predictions given for Z=119,120. Ground state and saddle point properties as: masses, shell corrections, pairing energies and deformations necessary for cross section estimations are calculated systematically within the multidimensional microscopic - macroscopic method based on the def…
We describe the capture, fusion, fission and evaporation residue formation cross sections of superheavy nuclei within the proposed earlier two stages dynamical model. The approaching of the projectile nucleus to the target nucleus is described in the first stage of the model. On the second stage, the evolution of the system formed after the touching of the projectile and target nuclei is considered. The evolution of the system on both stages is described by Langevin equations. The transport coefficients of these equations are calculated within the microscopic linear response theory. The mutual…
Fusion-fission dynamics is investigated with a special emphasis on fusion reactions at low energy for which shell effects and pairing correlations can play a crucial role leading in particular to multi-modal fission. To follow the dynamical evolution of an excited and rotating nucleus we solve a 2-dimensional Langevin equation taking explicitly light-particle evaporation into account. The confrontation theory-experiment is demonstrated to give interesting information on the model presented, its qualities as well as its shortcomings.
The dependence of fission barriers on the excitation energy of the compound nucleus impacts the survival probability of superheavy nuclei synthesized in heavy-ion fusion reactions. In this work, we investigate the isentropic fission barriers by means of the self-consistent nuclear density functional theory. The relationship between isothermal and isentropic descriptions is demonstrated. Calculations have been carried out for $^{264}$Fm, $^{272}$Ds, $^{278}$112, $^{292}$114, and $^{312}$124. For nuclei around $^{278}$112 produced in "cold fusion" reactions, we predict a more rapid decrease of f…
Use of deuteron-induced spallation reactions at intermediate energies has recently been proposed for transmutation of several long-lived fission products (LLFPs). In the design study of a transmutation system using a deuteron primary beam, accurate cross section data of deuteron-induced reactions on the LLFPs are indispensable. Reliable model predictions play an important role in completing the necessary cross section data since currently available experimental data are very limited. Under the circumstances, we have been developing a code system dedicated for deuteron-induced reactions, which …
Mass-angle correlation of fission fragments has been understood as manifestation of quasifission. We show that this is not so: the effect can originate from correlation between fusion-fission amplitudes with different total spins signifying matter-wave interference in compound nucleus processes. This resolves the well-known puzzle with the mass-angle correlation in the complete fusion sub-barrier reaction $^{16}$O+$^{238}$U. Our finding is important for more reliable predictions of production cross sections for superheavy elements. Matter-wave interference also produces quantum-classical trans…
In this contribution, we present the main relations of the Langevin approach to the description of fission or fusion-fission reactions. The results of Langevin calculations are shown for the mass distributions of fission fragments of super-heavy elements and used for the investigation of memory effects in nuclear fission.
The de-excitation of compound nuclei has been successfully described for several decades by means of statistical models. However, accurate predictions require some fine-tuning of the model parameters. This task can be simplified by studying several entrance channels, which populate different regions of the parameter space of the compound nucleus. Fusion reactions play an important role in this strategy because they minimise the uncertainty on the entrance channel by fixing mass, charge and excitation energy of the compound nucleus. If incomplete fusion is negligible, the only uncertainty on th…
We present the first attempt of systematically investigating the effects of shell correction energy for a dynamical process, which includes fusion, fusion-fission and quasi-fission processes. In the superheavy mass region, for the fusion process, shell correction energy plays a very important role and enhances the fusion probability when the colliding partner has a strong shell structure. By analyzing the trajectory in three-dimensional coordinate space with the Langevin equation, we reveal the mechanism of the enhancement of the fusion probability caused by `cold fusion valleys'. The temperat…
In order to describe heavy-ion fusion reactions around the Coulomb barrier with an actinide target nucleus, we propose a model which combines the coupled-channels approach and a fluctuation-dissipation model for dynamical calculations. This model takes into account couplings to the collective states of the interacting nuclei in the penetration of the Coulomb barrier and the subsequent dynamical evolution of a nuclear shape from the contact configuration. In the fluctuation-dissipation model with a Langevin equation, the effect of nuclear orientation at the initial impact on the prolately defor…
The quasi-fission mechanism hinders fusion of heavy systems because of a mass flow between the reactants, leading to a re-separation of more symmetric fragments in the exit channel. A good understanding of the competition between fusion and quasi-fission mechanisms is expected to be of great help to optimize the formation and study of heavy and superheavy nuclei. Quantum microscopic models, such as the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach, allow for a treatment of all degrees of freedom associated to the dynamics of each nucleon. This provides a description of the complex reaction mechanisms, …
The fusion-fission process in the superheavy mass region is studied systematically by solving the time evolution of nuclear shape in three-dimensional deformation space using the Langevin equation. By analyzing the trajectory in the deformation space, we identify the critical area when the trajectory's destination is determined to be the fusion or the quasi-fission process. It is also clarified that the potential landscape around the critical area is crucial for estimating the fusion probability, and its dependence on the atomic number is presented.
We investigate the cold fission/fusion paths of superheavy nuclei within the two center shell model, in order to find the best projectile-target combinations of their production. The fission/fusion yields are estimated by using the semiclassical approach. We predict several asymmetric combinations of relative long living fragments, which can be used in fusion experiments of superheavy nuclei with Z>118.
Background: Quasifission and fusion-fission are primary mechanisms to prevent the production of superheavy elements. The recent experimental measurements reveal that the fusion-evaporation cross section in the $3n$ reaction channel of $^{48}$Ca+$^{239}$Pu is 50 times lower than using $^{244}$Pu as target nucleus. However, the precise mechanisms of this remarkable isotopic dependence are not well understood. Purpose: To understand the experimental observation of the rapid decrease of stability of superheavy nuclei as the neutron number decreases, the theoretical studies of quasifission and fusi…
The angular distributions of fission fragments for the $^{32}$S+$^{184}$W reaction at center-of-mass energies of 118.8, 123.1, 127.3, 131.5, 135.8, 141.1 and 144.4 MeV were measured. The experimental fission excitation function is obtained. The fragment angular anisotropy ($\mathcal{A}_{\rm exp}$) is found by extrapolating the each fission angular distributions. The measured fission cross sections of the $^{32}$S+$^{182,184}$W reaction are decomposed into fusion-fission, quasifission and fast fission contributions by the dinuclear system model. The total evaporation residue excitation function…
The recent availability of precisely measured fusion cross-sections has enabled the extraction of a representation of the distribution of barriers encountered during fusion. These representations, obtained from a variety of reactions, provide a direct observation of how the structure of the fusing nuclei changes the inter-nuclear potential landscape, thus affecting the fusion probability. Recent experiments showing the effects of static quadrupole and hexadecapole deformation, single-- and double-phonon states, transfer of nucleons between two nuclei, and high lying excited states are reviewed…
We present the first attempt of the systematical investigation about the effects of shell correction energy for dynamical processes, which include fusion, fusion-fission and quasi-fission processes. In the superheavy mass region, for the fusion process, the shell correction energy plays a very important role and enhances the fusion probability, when the colliding partner has strong shell structure. By analyzing the trajectory in the three-dimensional coordinate space with a Langevin equation, we reveal the mechanism of the enhancement of the fusion probability caused by shell effects.
The fusion probability in "hot" fusion reactions leading to the synthesis of super-heavy nuclei is investigated systematically. The quasi-fission barrier influences the formation of the super-heavy nucleus around the "island of stability" in addition to the shell correction. Based on the quasi-fission barrier height obtained with the Skyrme energy-density functional, we propose an analytical expression for the description of the fusion probability, with which the measured evaporation residual cross sections can be reproduced acceptably well. Simultaneously, some special fusion reactions for sy…
We investigate time-dependent probability for a Brownian particle passing over the barrier to stay at a metastable potential pocket against escaping over the barrier. This is related to whole fusion-fission dynamical process and can be called the reverse Kramers problem. By the passing probability over the saddle point of inverse harmonic potential multiplying the exponential decay factor of a particle in the metastable potential, we present an approximate expression for the modified passing probability over the barrier, in which the effect of reflection boundary of potential is taken into acc…
The role of spherical quantum shells in the competition between fusion and quasi-fission is studied for reactions forming heavy elements. Measurements of fission fragment mass distributions for different reactions leading to similar compound nuclei have been made near the fusion barrier. In general, more quasi-fission is observed for reactions with non-magic nuclei. However, the $^{40}$Ca+$^{208}$Pb reaction is an exception, showing strong evidence for quasi-fission, though both nuclei are doubly magic. Time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculations predict fast equilibration of $N/Z$ in the two fra…
On the occasion of the $75^{th}$ anniversary of the fission phenomenon, we present a surprisingly simple result which highlights the important role of isospin and its conservation in neutron rich fission fragments. We have analysed the fission fragment mass distribution from two recent heavy-ion reactions $^{238}$U($^{18}$O,f) and $^{208}$Pb($^{18}$O,f) as well as a thermal neutron fission reaction $^{245}$Cm(n$^{th}$,f). We find that the conservation of the total isospin explains the overall trend in the observed relative yields of fragment masses in each fission pair partition. The isospin v…
A qualitative and quantitative comparison of the recent GSI measurements of the nuclide yields from 208Pb and 238U at 1 GeV/nucleon and 197Au at 800 MeV/nucleon interactions with protons with the codes LAHET (with both ISABEL and Bertini options), CEM95, CEM97, CEM2k, CASCADE, CASCADE/INPE, YIELDX, HETC, and INUCL is presented. The predictive power of these codes is reasonable for nuclides in the near spallation region but is worse for deep spallation and much worse in the fission region. None of these codes agree well with the data in the whole mass region of product nuclides and all must be …
The mechanism of fusion hindrance, an effect preventing the synthesis of superheavy elements in the reactions of cold and hot fusion, is investigated using the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation, where Coulomb interaction is introduced. A strong sensitivity is observed both to the modulus of incompressibility of symmetric nuclear matter, controlling the competition of surface tension and Coulomb repulsion, and to the stiffness of the density-dependence of symmetry energy, influencing the formation of the neck prior to scission. The experimental fusion probabilities were for the first time us…
In nuclear reactions induced by hadrons and ions of high energies, nuclei can disintegrate into many fragments during a short time (~100 fm/c). This phenomenon known as nuclear multifragmentation was under intensive investigation last 20 years. It was established that multifragmentation is an universal process taking place in all reactions when the excitation energy transferred to nuclei is high enough, more than 3 MeV per nucleon, independently on the initial dynamical stage of the reactions. Very known compound nucleus decay processes (sequential evaporation and fission), which are usual for…
We investigate the cold fission of 252Cf within the two center shell model to compute the potential energy surface. The fission yields are estimated by using the semiclassical penetration approach. It turns out that the inner cold valley of the total potential energy is strongly connected with Z=50 magic number. The agreement with experimental values is very much improved only by considering mass and charge asymmetry degrees of freedom. Thus, indeed cold fission of 252Cf is a Sn-like radioactivity, related the other two "magic radioactivities", namely alpha-decay and heavy-cluster decay, calle…
We propose helium-4 spallation processes induced by long-lived stau in supersymmetric standard models, and investigate an impact of the processes on light elements abundances. We show that, as long as the phase space of helium-4 spallation processes is open, they are more important than stau-catalyzed fusion and hence constrain the stau property.
