Fission decay of 48Cr at ECN*

Abstract

The fully energy-damped yields for the {sup 36}Ar + {sup 12}C and {sup 20}Ne + {sup 28}Si reactions at E{sub c.m.}=47.0 MeV and 45.5 MeV, respectively, are explored using particle-particle-{gamma} coincidence data. These reactions reach a similar excitation energy of E{sub CN}*=59.5 MeV in the {sup 48}Cr compound nucleus as was obtained in an earlier particle-particle coincidence study of the {sup 24}Mg + {sup 24}Mg reaction. The overall mass and total kinetic energy distributions of the fission fragments are found to be well reproduced by statistical-model calculations. These calculations are also found to reproduce structure seen in the excitation-energy spectra for the {sup 20}Ne + {sup 28}Si and {sup 24}Mg + {sup 24}Mg exit channels for all three reactions. In previous excitation-function measurements, strong heavy-ion resonance behavior has been observed in elastic and inelastic cross sections for the {sup 24}Mg + {sup 24}Mg system. There has been speculation that peaks observed in the corresponding excitation-energy spectra at more negative Q values may also be a consequence of this resonance phenomenon. The observation of very similar behavior with the asymmetric-mass entrance channels makes it less likely, though, that the peaks arise from any special configuration of the compound system. Instead, anmore » analysis of the {gamma}-ray data and the results of statistical-model calculations support the conclusion that most of the observed high-lying structure can be accounted for in terms of statistical fission from a fully energy- and shape-equilibrated compound nucleus. For the {sup 24}Mg + {sup 24}Mg entrance channel, however, comparisons with the statistical model indicate a reduction of high-angular-momentum partial cross sections, leading to the {sup 24}Mg + {sup 24}Mg fission channel. For the first time, we are able to deduce the nature of the competition between the resonance and statistical-fission mechanisms in this mass region.« less