Abstract
Quasifission, a fission-like reaction outcome in which no compound nucleus forms, is an important competitor to fusion in reactions used for super-heavy element formation. The precise mechanisms driving the competition between quasifission and fusion are poorly understood. To explore the influence reaction parameters have on quasifission probabilities, an investigation into the evolution of quasifission signatures as a function of entrance channel parameters is required. Using the Australian National University’s 14UD tandem accelerator and CUBE detector for two-body fission studies, measurements were made for a diverse range of reactions forming isotopes of Curium. Observables known to reveal signs of quasifission—namely mass ratio spectra, mass-angle distributions, and angular anisotropies—were extracted. Evidence of quasifission was observed in all reactions, but the observables showing evidence of quasifission were not the same for all reactions. A link between this evolution and reaction timescales will be discussed.
Highlights
A reaction outcome known as quasifission is one of the most important inhibitors of fusion in reactions leading to heavy and superheavy element formation
The CUBE detector consists of two position-sensitive Multi-Wire Proportional Counters (MWPCs) offering a large solid angle coverage
While we cannot separate out fusion-fission and quasifission event-by-event, nor can we robustly determine how significant each process is in each reaction, we can say this: quasifission is clearly an important reaction outcome for all reactions studied here, including those with the lightest projectile
Summary
A reaction outcome known as quasifission is one of the most important inhibitors of fusion in reactions leading to heavy and superheavy element formation. For reactions leading to quasifission, no compound nucleus forms; as such, quasifission is a direct competitor to fusion. In reactions dominated by quasifission, reaction times are faster than those dominated by fusion fission by as much as four orders of magnitude [4, 16]. Such reactions have been shown to be strongly influenced by entrance channel variables [4, 17, 20, 21], and have been associated with a reduction in evaporation residue cross sections [11]. An understanding of how signatures of quasifission evolve with reaction timescales has not been achieved
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