Fission of238U induced by136Xe for energies close to the Coulomb barrier

Abstract

Excitation functions and angular distributions have been measured for fission of238U induced by136Xe ions with bombarding energies between 4.5 and 5.9 MeV/N. Structures expected theoretically as characteristic for Coulomb fission have not been observed. The Q-value of −(7.5±1.0) MeV measured for bombarding energies below 4.7MeV/N, however, appears to be compatible with inelastic scattering (e.g. Coulomb excitation) rather than subcoulomb transfer followed by fission. The total kinetic energy of deep inelastic events at 5.9 MeV/N is consistent with the current knowledge about mass diffusion, but also (for the highest excitation energies) with a fast fission process in the presence of the projectile.