In this work, we study the effect of including a resonant state of four neutrons in the low-density warm nuclear equation of state, using a relativistic mean-field formalism, where in-medium effects are considered. For that purpose, the abundances of 62 different clusters immersed in a gas of protons and neutrons, are calculated with and without the presence of this resonant tetraneutron state. Ternary fission experiments are environments where not only these clusters can be formed, but also where such thermodynamic conditions of low densities and moderate temperatures can be achieved. The calculated yields of isotopes with and without the tetraneutron included are then compared with experimentally observed ternary fission yields. While the results indicate that the tetraneutron has little effect on yields of other clusters under the existing ternary fission conditions, a possibly observable effect on yields of clusters emitted from the neck region in mid-peripheral heavy ion collisions is clearly suggested.
True ternary fission and Tin-accompanied ternary fission of $^{242}$Pu are studied by using Three Cluster Model. True ternary fission is considered as formation of heavy fragments in the region $28\leq Z_1,Z_2,Z_3\leq 38$, with comparable masses. The possible fission channels are predicted from potential-energy calculations. Interaction potentials, Q-values and relative yields for all possible fragmentations in equatorial and collinear configurations are calculated and compared to each other. It is found out that ternary fission with formation of a double magic nucleus like $^{132}Sn$ is more …
The cold ternary fission of $^{238}$Pu, $^{240}$Pu, $^{242}$Pu and $^{244}$Pu isotopes, with $^{4}$He as light charged particle, in equatorial and collinear configuration has been studied within the Unified ternary fission model (UTFM). The fragment combination $^{100}$Zr+$^{4}$He+$^{134}$Te possessing the near doubly magic nuclei $^{134}$Te (N=82, Z=52) gives the highest yield in the alpha accompanied ternary fission of $^{238}$Pu. For the alpha accompanied ternary fission of $^{240}$Pu, $^{242}$Pu and $^{244}$Pu isotopes, the highest yield was found for the fragment combination with doubly m…
To describe of dynamics of ternary fission of $^{252}$Cf an equation of motion of the tri-nuclear system is calculated. The fission of the $^{70}$Ni+$^{50}$Ca+$^{132}$Sn channel was chosen as one of the more probable channels of true ternary fission of $^{252}$Cf. The collinearity of ternary fission has been checked by analyzing results of the equation of motion. The results show that if initially all nuclei are placed collinearly (potential energy of this position is the smallest) and the component of the middle fragment's initial velocity which is perpendicular to this line, is zero then ter…
Detailed assessments of the ability of recent theoretical approaches to modeling existing experimental data for ternary fission confirm earlier indications that the dominant mode of cluster formation in ternary fission is clusterization in very neutron rich, very low density, essentially chemically equilibrated, nucleonic matter. An extended study and comparison of these approaches applied to ternary fission yields in the thermal neutron induced reaction $^{241}$Pu($n_{\rm th}$,f) has been undertaken to refine the characterization of the source matter. The resonance gas approximation has been …
Bremsstrahlung emission accompanying ternary fission of \isotope[252]{Cf}
Southern Center for Nuclear-Science Theory (SCNT), Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院近代物理研究所南方核科学理论中心);Wigner Research Centre for Physics(维格纳物理研究中心);Institute for Nuclear Research, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine(乌克兰国家科学院核物理研究所);Heavy Ion Science and Technology Key Laboratory, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院近代物理研究所重离子科学与技术重点实验室);School of Nuclear Sciences and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences(中国科学院大学核科学与技术学院)
The concept of collinear spontaneous true ternary fission of 252Cf is subject to critical analysis. The conclusion is that the collinear flight of the fragments turns out to be a natural and most probable mode. The collinearity arises in the model on the prescission stage as a result of the account of the principles of the collective Bohr's model. It is partly destroyed at the post-scission stage of spreading of the fragments due to their Coulomb interaction, with the allowance for the spin effects arising at the moment of scission. The final angular distribution of the fragments is calculated…
The ternary cluster decay of heavy nuclei has been observed in several experiments with binary coincidences between two fragments using detector telescopes (the FOBOS-detectors, JINR, Dubna) placed on the opposite sides from the source of fissioning nuclei. The binary coincidences at a relative angle of 180$^0$ deg. correspond to binary fission or to the decay into three cluster fragments by registration of two nuclei with different masses (e.g.$^{132}$Sn,$^{52-48}$Ca,$^{68-72}$Ni). This marks a new step in the physics of fission-phenomena of heavy nuclei. These experimental results for the co…
We consider the collinear ternary fission which is a sequential ternary decay with a very short time between the ruptures of two necks connecting the middle cluster of the ternary nuclear system and outer fragments. In particular, we consider the case where the Coulomb field of the first massive fragment separated during the first step of the fission produces a lower pre-scission barrier in the second step of the residual part of the ternary system. In this case, we obtain a probability of about $10^{-3}$ for the yield of massive clusters such as \nuclide[70]{Ni}, \nuclide[80-82]{Ge}, \nuclide…
The alpha accompanied cold ternary fission of even-even 244Cm, 246Cm, 248Cm, 250Cm and 252Cm isotopes have been studied by taking the interacting barrier as the sum of Coulomb and proximity potential with the fragments in equatorial configuration. The favorable fragment combinations are obtained from the cold reaction valley plot and by calculating the relative yield for the charge minimized fragments. In the alpha accompanied ternary fission of 244Cm isotope, the highest yield is found for the fragment combination 110Ru+4He+130Sn, which possess near doubly magic nuclei 130Sn. For the ternary …
Within the Unified ternary fission model (UTFM), the alpha accompanied ternary fission of even-even $^{244-260}$Cf isotopes has been studied by taking the interacting barrier as the sum of Coulomb and proximity potential. For the alpha accompanied ternary fission of 244^Cf isotope, the highest yield is obtained for the fragment combination 108^Ru+4^He+132^Te, which contain near doubly magic nuclei 132^Te (N=80, Z=52). In the case of 246^Cf and 248^Cf isotopes, the highest yield is obtained for the fragment combinations with near doubly magic nuclei 134^Te (N=82, Z=52) as the heavier fragment. …
Ternary fission of actinides probes the state of the nucleus at scission. Light clusters are produced in space and time very close to the scission point. Within the nonequilibrium statistical operator method, a generalized Gibbs distribution is constructed from the information given by the observed yields of isotopes. Using this relevant statistical operator, yields are calculated taking excited states and continuum correlations into account, in accordance with the virial expansion of the equation of state. Clusters with mass number $A \le 10$ are well described using the nonequilibrium genera…
The yields of light elements ($Z=1,2$) obtained from spontaneous ternary fission of $^{252}$Cf are treated within a nonequilibrium approach, and the contribution of unstable nuclei and excited bound states is taken into account. These light cluster yields may be used to probe dense matter, and to infer in-medium corrections. Continuum correlations are calculated from scattering phase shifts using the Beth-Uhlenbeck formula, and the effect of medium modification is estimated. The relevant distribution is reconstructed from the measured yields of isotopes. This describes the state of the nucleon…
For the first time, we apply the temperature dependent relativistic mean field (TRMF) model to study the ternary fission of heavy nucleus using level density approach. The probability of yields of a particular fragment is obtained by evaluating the convolution integrals which employ the excitation energy and the level density parameter for a given temperature calculated within the TRMF formalism. To illustrate, we have considered the ternary fissions in 252Cf, 242Pu and 236U with fixed third fragment A3 = 48Ca, 20O and 16O respectively. The relative yields are studied for the temperatures T = …
A recent analysis of experimental ternary fission fragment yields using a nucleation moderated statistical equilibrium model reproduced observed yields with fairly good accuracy. In the present work, the same approach is applied to neck emission in peripheral and mid-peripheral 124Sn+112,124Sn collisions at 26A MeV. The model can reasonably reproduce the yields of lithium to silicon isotopes with realistic time and temperature values. A comparison is made between equilibrium constants derived from the present data and those previously obtained for ternary fission of 242Pu.
In the exothermic process of fission decay, an atomic nucleus splits into two or more independent fragments. Several aspects of nuclear fission are not properly understood, in particular the formation of the neck between the nascent fragments, and the subsequent mechanism of scission into two or more independent fragments. Using an implementation of time-dependent density functional theory, based on a relativistic energy density functional and including pairing correlations, we analyze the final phase of the process of induced fission of $^{240}$Pu, and show that the time-scale of neck formati…
A possibility of formation of the three reaction products having comparable masses at the spontaneous fission of $^{252}$Cf is theoretically explored. This work is aimed to study the mechanism leading to observation of the reaction products with masses $M_1=$136---140 and $M_2=$68---72 in coincidence by the FOBOS group in JINR. The same type of ternary fission decay has been observed in the reaction $^{235}$U(n$_{\rm th}$,fff). The potential energy surface for the ternary system forming a collinear nuclear chain is calculated for the wide range of mass and charge numbers of constituent nuclei.…
Yields of equatorially emitted light isotopes, $1\le Z\le 14$, observed in ternary fission in the reaction $^{241}$Pu($n_{\rm th}$,f) are employed to determine apparent chemical equilibrium constants for low-temperature and low-density nuclear matter. The degree of liberation and role of medium modifications are probed through a comparison of experimentally derived reaction quotients with equilibrium constants calculated using a relativistic mean-field model employing a universal medium modification correction for the attractive $σ$ meson coupling. The results of these comparisons indicate tha…
In our previous publications we discussed various manifestations of a new decay channel of the low excited heavy nuclei called collinear cluster tri-partition (CCT). The most populated CCT mode was revealed in the mass correlation distribution of fission fragments (FFs) as a local region ("bump") of increased yields below the loci linked to the conventional binary fission. The bump was dubbed "Ni-bump" because it is centered at the masses associated with the magic isotopes of Ni. Intriguing features of the CCT, especially high collinearity of the CCT partners and relatively high probability co…