We systematically study the nuclear level densities of superheavy nuclei, including odd systems, using the single-particle energies obtained with the Woods-Saxon potential diagonalization. Minimization over many deformation parameters for the global minima - ground states and the "imaginary water flow" technique on many deformation energy grids for the saddle points, including nonaxial shapes has been applied. The level density parameters are calculated by fitting the obtained results with the standard Fermi gas expression. The total potential energy and shell correction dependencies of the level-density parameter are analyzed and compared at the ground state and saddle point. These parameters are compared with the results of the phenomenological expression. As shown, this expression should be modified for the saddle points, especially for small excitation energy. The ratio of the level-density parameter at the saddle point to that at the ground state is shown to be crucial for the survival probability of the heavy nucleus.
We have constructed new proximity function particularly for interaction between two superheavy nuclei based on the experimental alpha decay half-lives. The new proximity function is used to produce the alpha decay half-lives of superheavy nuclei whose experimental values are known. The new proximity function produces the alpha decay half-lives close to the experiments. Hence we can conclude that the new proximity function can be used to study the interaction between two superheavy nuclei.
The conditions of optimum orientations (lowest barrier and largest interaction radius) for deformed colliding nuclei are introduced in "cold" fusion of superheavy nuclei. Also, the role of (octupole and) hexadecupole deformations is studied. We have used the proximity potential and applied our method to Ca-induced reactions.
Superheavy nuclei are investigated in a nonlinear chiral SU(3)-model. The proton number Z=120 and neutron numbers of N=172, 184 and 198 are predicted to be magic. The charge distributions and alpha-decay chains hint towards a hollow structure.
A model based on chiral SU(3)-symmetry in nonlinear realisation is used for the investigation of nuclei, superheavy nuclei, hypernuclei and multistrange nuclear objects (so called MEMOs). The model works very well in the case of nuclei and hypernuclei with one Lambda-particle and rules out MEMOs. Basic observables which are known for nuclei and hypernuclei are reproduced satisfactorily. The model predicts Z=120 and N=172, 184 and 198 as the next shell closures in the region of superheavy nuclei. The calculations have been performed in self-consistent relativistic mean field approximation assum…
The current status of the application of covariant density functional theory to the description of fission barriers in actinides and superheavy nuclei is reviewed. The achievements and open problems are discussed.
Three different ways for description of binding energy of superheavy nuclei are discussed. First, one can consider superheavy nuclei as a part of a whole system of nuclei for which a global mass formula is found. Another way is the detailed local description of energy of superheavy nuclei taking into account the effects of shells and subshells. The third way of description, applied for nuclei in the region limited by principal magic numbers, is attached to the beta-stability line.
Effects of the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy on ground-state properties of superheavy nuclei are studied in the relativistic mean-field theory. It is found that the softening of the symmetry energy plays an important role in the empirical shift [Phys. Rev. C 67, 024309 (2003)] of spherical orbitals in superheavy nuclei. The calculation based on the relativistic mean-field models NL3 and FSUGold supports the double shell closure in $^{292}120$ with the softening of the symmetry energy. In addition, the significant effect of the density dependence of the symmetry energy on th…
We calculate the ground state properties of recently synthesized superheavy nuclei starting from $Z$=105-120. The nonrelativistic and relativistic mean field formalisms is used to evaluate the binding energy, charge radius, quadrupole deformation parameter and the density distribution of nucleons. We analyzed the stability of the nuclei based on the binding energy and neutron to proton ratio. We also studied the bubble structure of the nucleus which reveals about the special features of the superheavy nucleus.
Properties of transactinide nuclei needed for the interpretation of spectroscopic data and for the extrapolation to the expected "island of stability" of superheavy nuclei are reviewed from a theorist's point of view in the framework of self-consistent mean-field models.
We study stability of superdeformed oblate (SDO) superheavy $Z\geq 120$ nuclei predicted by systematic macroscopic-microscopic calculations in 12D deformation space and confirmed by the Hartree-Fock calculations with the realistic SLy6 force. We include into consideration high-$K$ isomers that very likely form at the SDO shape. Although half-lives $T_{1/2}\lesssim10^{-5}$ s are calclulated or estimated for even-even spin zero systems, decay hindrances known for high-$K$ isomers suggest that some SDO superheavy nuclei may be detectable by the present experimental technique.
The extrapolation of self-consistent nuclear mean-field models to the region of superheavy elements is discussed with emphasis on the extrapolating power of the models. The predictions of modern mean-field models are confronted with recent experimental data. It is shown that a final conclusion about the location of the expected island of spherical doubly-magic superheavy nuclei cannot be drawn on the basis of the available data.
Spontaneous fission and alpha decay are the main decay modes for superheavy nuclei. The superheavy nuclei which have small alpha decay half-life compared to spontaneous fission half-life will survive fission and can be detected in the laboratory through alpha decay. We have studied the alpha decay half-life and spontaneous half-life of some superheavy elements in the atomic range Z = 100-130. Spontaneous fission half-lives of superheavy nuclei have been calculated using the phenomenological formula and the alpha decay half-lives using Viola-Seaborg-Sobiczewski formula (Sobiczewski et al. 1989)…
The analysis of quasiparticle spectra in heaviest $A\sim 250$ nuclei with spectroscopic data provides an additional constraint for the choice of effective interaction for the description of superheavy nuclei. It strongly suggest that only the parametrizations of the relativistic mean field Lagrangian which predict Z=120 and N=172 as shell closures are reliable for superheavy nuclei. The influence of the central depression in the density distribution of spherical superheavy nuclei on the shell structure is studied. Large central depression produces large shell gaps at Z=120 and N=172. The shell…
We have investigated most stable superheavy nuclei by studying the decay properties such as alpha decay, cluster decay and spontaneous fission. We have investigated nine stable nuclei in the island of stability which can be detected through fission are 318123(10.5ms), 319123(4.68μs), 317124(1.74x104 y), 318124(2.70x101 y), 319124(2.83x10-2 y), 320124(1.91x10-5 y), 319125(2.46x109 y), 320125(3.81x106 y) and 321125(3.99x103 y). Present work also investigates three stable superheavy nuclei which can be detected through alpha decay which are 318125(1.03x1012 y), 319126(5.77x1011 y) and 320126(3.99…
Using the dinuclear system concept we present calculations of production cross sections for the heaviest nuclei. The obtained results are in a good agreement with the experimental data. The experimentally observed rapid fall-off of the cross sections of the cold fusion with increasing charge number $Z$ of the compound nucleus is explained. Optimal experimental conditions for the synthesis of the superheavy nuclei are suggested.
Bound, strange, neutral superheavy nuclei, stable against strong decay, may exist. A model effective field theory calculation of the surface energy and density of such systems is carried out assuming vector meson couplings to conserved currents and scalar couplings fit to data where it exists. The non-linear relativistic mean field equations are solved assuming local baryon sources. The approach is calibrated through a successful calculation of the known nuclear surface tension.
The HFB self-consistent method has been applied to study the properties of several neutron deficient superheavy nuclei with Z=120-124, N=160-168. Their distinctive feature is the existence of minima of the total HFB energy for strongly deformed, oblate shapes. The self-consistent results agree quite remarkably with those currently obtained by using microscopic-macroscopic method.
This work investigated the first-chance survival probabilities of highly excited compound superheavy nuclei in the prospect of synthesizing new superheavy elements. The main feature of our modelings is the adoption of microscopic temperature dependent fission barriers in calculations of fission rates. A simple derivation is demonstrated to elucidate the connection between Bohr-Wheeler statistical model and imaginary free energy method, obtaining a new formula for fission rates. The best modeling is chosen with respect to reproducing the experimental fission probability of $^{210}$Po. Systemati…
We employ Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) model with NL3 parametrization to investigate the ground state properties of superheavy nucleus, Z = 124. The nuclei selected (from among complete isotopic series) for detailed investigation show that the nucleon density at the center is very low and therefore, these nuclei can be treated as semi-bubble nuclei. The considerable shell gap appears at neutron numbers N = 172, 184 and 198 showing the magicity corresponding to these numbers. The results are compared with the macro-microscopic Finite Range Droplet Model (FRDM) wherever possible.
Within the framework of a dinuclear system (DNS) model, the evaporation-residue excitation functions and the quasi-fission mass yields in the $^{48}$Ca induced fusion reactions are investigated systematically and compared with available experimental data. Maximal production cross sections of superheavy nuclei based on stable actinide targets are obtained. Isotopic trends in the production of the superheavy elements Z=110, 112-118 based on the actinide isotopic targets are analyzed systematically. Optimal evaporation channels and combinations as well as the corresponding excitation energies are…
We found that a true ternary fission with formation of a heavy third fragment (a new type of radioactivity) is quite possible for superheavy nuclei due to the strong shell effects leading to a three-body clusterization with the two doubly magic tin-like cores. The simplest way to discover this phenomenon in the decay of excited superheavy nuclei is a detection of two tin-like clusters with appropriate kinematics in low-energy collisions of medium mass nuclei with actinide targets. The three-body quasi-fission process could be even more pronounced for giant nuclear systems formed in collisions …
Within the concept of the dinuclear system (DNS), a dynamical model is proposed for describing the formation of superheavy nuclei in complete fusion reactions by incorporating the coupling of the relative motion to the nucleon transfer process. The capture of two heavy colliding nuclei, the formation of the compound nucleus and the de-excitation process are calculated by using an empirical coupled channel model, solving a master equation numerically and applying statistical theory, respectively. Evaporation residue excitation functions in cold fusion reactions are investigated systematically a…
Octupole deformed shapes in neutron-rich actinides and superheavy nuclei as well as extremely deformed shapes of the N~Z light nuclei have been investigated within the framework of covariant density functional theory. We confirmed the presence of new region of octupole deformation in neutron-rich actinides with the center around Z~96, N~196 but our calculations do not predict octupole deformation in the ground states of superheavy Z~108 nuclei. As exemplified by the study of 36Ar, the nodal structure of the wavefunction of occupied single-particle orbitals in extremely deformed structures allo…
The experimentally available data on the alpha decay half lives and Q? values for 96 superheavy nuclei are used to fix the parameters for a modified version of the Brown empirical formula through two fitting procedures which enables its comparison with similar fits using Viola-Seaborg and Royer formulas. The new expressions provide very good agreement with experimental data having fewer or the same number of parameters. All formulas with the obtained parameters are then extrapolated to generate half lives predictions for 125 unknown superheavy alpha emitters. The nuclei where the employed empi…
A recently published highly extrapolatable semiempirical shell model mass equation is shown to describe rather well the energies of several seemingly well identified alpha-decay chains with known end product nuclei observed in superheavy elements research. The equation is also applied to the interpretation problem of some recent hot fusion-evaporation experiments with unknown end products and several conceivable reaction channels. Some plausible interpretations are indicated.
Recently synthesis of superheavy nuclei has been achieved in hot fusion reactions. A systematic theoretical calculation of alpha decay half-lives in this region of the periodic system, may be useful in the identification of new nuclei in these type of reactions. Alpha decay half-lives are obtained in the framework of the barrier penetration theory, built with the use of proximity and Coulomb forces. It is estimated from a classical viewpoint, a possible angular momentum maximum value for odd and odd-odd nuclei alpha particles. The masses of the nuclei are obtained from a macro-microscopic mode…
We present a selection of the first results obtained in a comprehensive calculation of ground state properties of even-even superheavy nuclei in the region of 96 < Z < 136 and 118 < N < 320 from the Quark-Meson-Coupling model (QMC). Ground state binding energies, the neutron and proton number dependence of quadrupole deformations and Q$_α$ values are reported for even-even nuclei with 100 < Z < 136 and compared with available experimental data and predictions of macro-microscopic models. Predictions of properties of nuclei, including Q$_α$ values, relevant for planning future experiments are p…
Systematic calculations of fission barriers allowing for triaxial deformation are performed for even-even superheavy nuclei with charge number $Z=112-120$ using three classes of covariant density functional models. The softness of nuclei in the triaxial plane leads to an emergence of several competing fission pathes in the region of the inner fission barrier in some of these nuclei. The outer fission barriers are considerably affected by triaxiality and octupole deformation. General trends of the evolution of the inner and the outer fission barrier heights are discussed as a function of the pa…
Within the framework of the dinuclear system (DNS) model, production cross sections of new superheavy nuclei with charged numbers Z=108-114 are analyzed systematically. Possible combinations based on the actinide nuclides $^{238}$U, $^{244}$Pu and $^{248,250}$Cm with the optimal excitation energies and evaporation channels are pointed out to synthesize new isotopes which lie between the nuclides produced in the cold fusion and the $^{48}$Ca induced fusion reactions experimentally, which are feasible to be constructed experimentally. It is found that the production cross sections of superheavy …
Relativistic energy density functionals (REDF) provide a complete and accurate, global description of nuclear structure phenomena. A modern semi-empirical functional, adjusted to the nuclear matter equation of state and to empirical masses of deformed nuclei, is applied to studies of shapes of superheavy nuclei. The theoretical framework is tested in a comparison of calculated masses, quadrupole deformations, and potential energy barriers to available data on actinide isotopes. Self-consistent mean-field calculations predict a variety of spherical, axial and triaxial shapes of long-lived super…
Configuration-constrained calculations of potential-energy surfaces in even-even superheavy nuclei reveal systematically the existence at low excitation energies of multi-quasiparticle states with deformed axially symmetric shapes and large angular momenta. These results indicate the prevalence of long-lived, multi-quasiparticle isomers. In a quantal system, the ground state is usually more stable than the excited states. In contrast, in superheavy nuclei the multi-qausiparticle excitations decrease the probability for both fission and $α$ decay, implying enhanced stability. Hence, the systema…
Energies of the giant Gamow-Teller and analog resonances - $E_{\rm G}$ and $E_{\rm A}$, are presented, calculated using the microscopic theory of finite Fermi system. The calculated differences $ΔE_{\rm G-A}=E_{\rm G}-E_{\rm A}$ go to zero in heavier nuclei indicating the restoration of Wigner SU(4)-symmetry. The calculated $ΔE_{\rm G-A}$ values are in good agreement with the experimental data. The average deviation is 0.30 MeV for the 33 considered nuclei for which experimental data is available. The $ΔE_{\rm G-A}$ values were calculated for heavy and superheavy nuclei up to the mass number $…
Half-lives of beta+ decay and electron capture are studied in some selected superheavy nuclei produced in hot fusion reactions, namely, 290Fl, 293Mc, 294Lv, and 295Ts. The nuclear structure is described microscopically from deformed self-consistent Skyrme Hartree-Fock mean-field calculations that include pairing correlations. The sensitivity of the half-lives to deformation and to the QEC energies, which are still not determined experimentally, are studied. The results are compared with phenomenological alpha-decay half-lives, showing that the latter decay mode is dominant in this mass region.
The competition between alpha- and beta+/EC-decay modes is studied systematically in nuclei along the alpha-decay chains following the synthesis of superheavy nuclei with Z = 119 and Z = 120. A microscopic approach based on deformed self-consistent Hartree-Fock mean-field calculations with Skyrme forces and pairing correlations is used to describe the beta+ and electron capture weak decays, whereas the alpha-decay is estimated from existing phenomenological expressions. It is shown that alpha-decay is in most cases the dominant decay mode, but interesting instances are identified where the hal…
We investigate the structure of the potential energy surfaces of the superheavy nuclei 258Fm, 264Hs, (Z=112,N=166), (Z=114,N=184), and (Z=120,N=172) within the framework of self-consistent nuclear models, i.e. the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach and the relativistic mean-field model. We compare results obtained with one representative parametrisation of each model which is successful in describing superheavy nuclei. We find systematic changes as compared to the potential energy surfaces of heavy nuclei in the uranium region: there is no sufficiently stable fission isomer any more, the importance …
On the basis of systematic calculations for 1364 heavy and superheavy nuclei, including odd-systems, we have found a few candidates for high-K ground states in superheavy nuclei. The macroscopic-microscopic model based on the deformed Woods-Saxon single particle potential which we use offers a reasonable description of SH systems, including known: nuclear masses, $Q_α$-values, fission barriers, ground state deformations, super- and hyper-deformed minima in the heaviest nuclei. %For odd and odd-odd systems, both ways of including pairing correlations, % blocking and the quasi-particle method, h…
Systematic alpha-nucleus folding potentials are used to analyze alpha-decay half-lives of superheavy nuclei. Preformation factors of about several per cent are found for all nuclei under study. The systematic behavior of the preformation factors and the volume integrals of the potentials allows to predict alpha-decay energies and half-lives for unknown nuclei. Shell closures can be determined from measured alpha-decay energies using the discontinuity of the volume integral at shell closures. For the first time a double shell closure is predicted for Z_magic = 132, N_magic = 194, and A_magic = …
The interaction potential between the alpha particle and the deformed parent nucleus was used for description of the decay of superheavy nuclei. It consists of centrifugal, nuclear and Coulomb parts suitably modified for deformed nuclei. The significant effect of various shapes of barriers obtained for deformed parent nuclei on calculated alpha half-life times were shown. The finally calculated half-life times due to the spontaneous alpha decay for superheavy elements were compared with the results obtained from other models and the experimental data.
The modes of decay for the even-even isotopes of superheavy nuclei of Z = 118 and 120 with neutron number $160 \leq N \leq 204$ are investigated in the framework of the axially deformed relativistic mean field model. The asymmetry parameter $η$ and the relative neutron-proton asymmetry of the surface to the center ($R_η$) are estimated from the ground state density distributions of the nucleus. We analyze the resulting asymmetry parameter $η$ and the relative neutron-proton asymmetry $R_η$ of the density play a crucial role in the mode(s) of decay and its half-life. Moreover, the excess neutro…
We present a review of the recent progress of theoretical models on the description of the formation of superheavy nuclei in collisions of heavy systems. Two sorts of reactions that are the fusion-evaporation mechanism and the massive damped collisions to produce superheavy nuclei are discussed. Problems and further improvements of the capture of colliding partners, the formation of compound nucleus and the de-excitation process are pointed out. Possible combinations in the synthesis of the gap of the cold fusion and $^{48}$Ca induced reactions are proposed by the calculations based on the din…
A statistical approach based on the Weisskopf evaporation theory has been developed to describe the de-excitation process of highly excited heavy and superheavy nuclei, in particular for the proton-rich nuclei. The excited nucleus is cooled by evaporating $γ$-ray, light particles (neutrons, protons, $α$ etc) in competition with the binary fission, in which the structure effects (shell correction, fission barrier, particle separation energy) contribute to the processes. The formation of residual nuclei is evaluated via sequential emission of possible particles above the separation energies. The…
Within the framework of the dinuclear system (DNS) model, the production cross sections of superheavy nuclei Hs (Z=108) and Z=112 combined with different reaction systems are analyzed systematically. It is found that the mass asymmetries and the reaction Q values of the combinations play a very important role on the formation cross sections of the evaporation residues. Both methods by solving the master equations along the mass asymmetry degree of freedom (1D) and along the proton and the neutron degrees of freedom (2D) are compared each other and with the available experimental results.
The modes of decay for the even-even isotopes of superheavy nuclei of Z = 118 and 120 with neutron number $160 \leq N \leq 204$ are investigated in the framework of the axially deformed relativistic mean field model. The asymmetry parameter $η$ and the relative neutron-proton asymmetry of the surface to the center ($R_η$) are estimated for the ground state density distributions of the nuclei. We suggest that the resulting asymmetry parameter $η$ and the relative neutron-proton asymmetry $R_η$ of the density play a crucial role in the preformation factor of the decay half life.
The connection of synthesis of long-lived superheavy nuclei and existence of the island of stability with the choice of realistic nuclear potential is discussed: the behaviour of the average field of nuclei is an important element of nuclear models. It is also shown that it is just Dubna that possesses the priority both in the recent synthesis of a superheavy nucleus with charge Z=114 and in its theoretical prediction made 35 years ago. Possible sizes of the island of stability of superheavy nuclei are considered.
The microscopic approach of fission rates and neutron emission rates in compound nuclei have been applied to $^{258}$No and $^{286}$Cn. The microscopic framework is based on the finite-temperature Skyrme-Hartree-Fock+BCS calculations, in which the fission barriers and mass parameters are self-consistently temperature dependent. The fission rates from low to high temperatures can be obtained based on the imaginary free energy method. The neutron emission rates are obtained with neutron gases at surfaces. Finally the survival probabilities of superheavy nuclei can be calculated microscopically. …
We systematically calculate the spontaneous fission half-lives for heavy and superheavy nuclei between U and Fl isotopes. The spontaneous fission process is studied within the semi-empirical WKB approximation. The potential barrier is obtained using a generalized liquid drop model, taking into account the nuclear proximity, the mass asymmetry, the phenomenological pairing correction, and the microscopic shell correction. Macroscopic inertial-mass function has been employed for the calculation of the fission half-life. The results reproduce rather well the experimental data. Relatively long hal…
High-spin yrast structures of even-even superheavy nuclei $^{254-258}$Rf are investigated by means of total-Routhian-surface approach in three-dimensional ($β_2, γ, β_4$) space. The behavior in the moments of inertia of $^{256}$Rf is well reproduced by our calculations, which is attributed to the $j_{15/2}$ neutron rotation-alignment. The competition between rotationally aligned $i_{13/2}$ proton and $j_{15/2}$ neutron is discussed. High-spin predictions are also made for its neighboring isotopes $^{254,258}$Rf.
Fission-fragment mass and total-kinetic-energy (TKE) distributions following fission of even-even nuclides in the region $74 \leq Z \leq 126$ and $92 \leq N \leq 230$, comprising 896 nuclides have been calculated using the Brownian shape-motion method. The emphasis is the region of superheavy nuclei. To show compatibility with earlier results the calculations are extended to include earlier studied regions. An island of asymmetric fission is obtained in the superheavy region, $106\leq Z\leq114$ and $162\leq N\leq 176$, where the heavy fragment is found to be close to $^{208}$Pb and the light f…
The possibility to synthesize heavier superheavy elements in massive nuclei reactions is strongly limited by the hindrance to complete fusion of reacting nuclei: due to the onset of the quasifission process in the entrance channel, which competes with complete fusion, and by strong increase of the fission yield along the de-excitation cascade of the compound nucleus in comparison to the evaporation residue formation. We present a wide and detailed procedure allowing us to describe the experimental results (evaporation residue nuclei and fissionlike products) in the mass asymmetric and symmetri…
Using the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) self-consistent mean-field theory with the SkM* Skyrme energy-density functional, we study nuclear structure properties of even-even superheavy nuclei (SHN) of $Z=120$ isotopes and $N=184$ isotones. The shape of the nucleus along the lowest energy curve as a function of the quadrupole moment $Q_{20}$ makes a sudden transition from the oblate spheroids (biconcave discs) to the toroidal shapes, in the region of large oblate quadrupole moments.
The influence of the central depression in the density distribution of spherical superheavy nuclei on the shell structure is studied within the relativistic mean field theory. Large depression leads to the shell gaps at the proton Z=120 and neutron N=172 numbers, while flatter density distribution favors N=184 for neutrons and leads to the appearance of a Z=126 shell gap and to the decrease of the size of the Z=120 shell gap. The correlations between the magic shell gaps and the magnitude of central depression are discussed for relativistic and non-relativistic mean field theories.
We have carried out a study of superheavy nuclei in the framework of the Relativistic Mean-Field theory. Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (RHB) calculations have been performed for nuclei with large proton and neutron numbers. A finite-range pairing force of Gogny type has been used in the RHB calculations. The ground-state properties of very heavy nuclei with atomic numbers Z=100-114 and neutron numbers N=154-190 have been obtained. The results show that in addition to N=184 the neutron numbers N=160 and N=166 exhibit an extra stability as compared to their neighbors. For the case of protons t…
The concept of heavy particle radioactivity (HPR) is changed to allow emitted particles with Z_e>28 from parents with Z>110 and daughter around 208Pb. Calculations for superheavy (SH) nuclei with Z=104-124 are showing a trend toward shorter half-lives and larger branching ratio relative to alpha decay for heavier SHs. It is possible to find regions in which HPR is stronger than alpha decay. The new mass table AME11 and the theoretical KTUY05 and FRDM95 masses are used to determine the released energy. For 124 we found isotopes with half-lives in the range of ns to ps.
Isotopic and isotonic chains of superheavy nuclei are analyzed to search for spherical double shell closures beyond Z=82 and N=126 within the new effective field theory model of Furnstahl, Serot, and Tang for the relativistic nuclear many-body problem. We take into account several indicators to identify the occurrence of possible shell closures, such as two-nucleon separation energies, two-nucleon shell gaps, average pairing gaps, and the shell correction energy. The effective Lagrangian model predicts N=172 and Z=120 and N=258 and Z=120 as spherical doubly magic superheavy nuclei, whereas N=1…
Magic islands for extra-stable nuclei in the midst of the sea of fission-instability were predicted to be around Z=114, 124 or, 126 with N=184, and Z=120, with N=172. Whether these fission-survived superheavy nuclei with high Z and N would live long enough for detection or, undergo alpha-decay in a very short time remains an open question. Alpha-decay half lives of nuclei with 130 < Z < 100 have been calculated in a WKB framework using density-dependent M3Y interaction with Q-values from different mass formulae. The results are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Fission survive…
An extensive theoretical search for the proton magic number in the superheavy valley beyond $Z=$82 and corresponding neutron magic number after $N=$126 is carried out. For this we scanned a wide range of elements $Z=112-130$ and their isotopes. The well established non-relativistic Skryme-Hartree-Fock and Relativistic Mean Field formalisms with various force parameters are used. Based on the calculated systematics of pairing gap, two neutron separation energy and the shell correction energy for these nuclei, we find $Z=$120 as the next proton magic and N=172, 182/184, 208 and 258 the subsequen…
Using the ETFSI (extended Thomas-Fermi plus Strutinsky integral) method, we have calculated the fission barriers of nearly 2000 exotic nuclei, including all the neutron-rich nuclei up to A=318 that are expected to be relevant to the r-process, and all the superheavy nuclei in the vicinity of N=184, with Z<=120. Our calculations were performed with the Skyrme force SkSC4, which was determined in the ETFSI-1 mass fit. For proton-deficient nuclei in the region of N=184 we find the barriers to be much higher than previously believed, which suggests that the r-process path might continue to mass nu…
Recent experimental advances have made it possible to study excited structure in superheavy nuclei. The observed states have often been interpreted as quasi-particle excitations. We show that in superheavy nuclei collective vibrations systematically appear as low-energy excitation modes. By using the microscopic Triaxial Projected Shell Model, we make a detailed prediction on gamma-vibrational states and their E2 transition probabilities to the ground state band in Fermium and Nobelium isotopes where active structure research is going on, and in 270Ds, the heaviest isotope where decay data hav…
A recent proposed method for $α$-decay energies ($Q_α$) [J.M. Dong, W. Zuo, and W. Scheid, Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{107}, 012501 (2011)] can reproduce experimental data of superheavy nuclei (SHN) with an $rms$-value of less than 100 keV. However, a sinusoid-like periodic deviation from experiments, which limits the accuracy in predictions, is observed when using different reference nuclei. In this paper, we have further extended this hybrid method, i.e., to predict $Q_α$ of the as-yet-unobserved SHN with the help of known nuclei. It is found that the systematic deviation in previous study is r…
