arXiv subjects

M. Balasubramaniam

Publications and source records attributed to M. Balasubramaniam.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

A dynamical model calculation to reconcile the nuclear fission lifetime from different measurement techniques

The pre-scission particle multiplicities suggest a lifetime of 10 20 s for the nuclear fission to occur which is in contrast to the fission lifetime 10 18 s as predicted by atomic probe. This long standing ambiguity, arising due to the orders of magnitude differences among the fission lifetime measured from the nuclear and atomic probes, has been addressed within a dynamical model which includes the contributions from the nuclear shell effects. We show that, at lower excitation energies, these two probes decouples as the fissioning system survives for a long time without any particle evaporation. We also consider a wide range of reactions to study the impact of the excitation energy of compound nucleus on the fission dynamics in general. Our model predicts the average fission life time of superheavy nucleus 302 120, to be more than 10 18 s which is in reasonable agreement with the recent experiments.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2017

Relative mass distributions of neutron-rich thermally fissile nuclei within statistical model

We study the fission yield of recently predicted thermally fissile neutron-rich uranium and thorium nuclei using statistical model. The level density parameters needed for the study are evaluated from the excitation energies of temperature dependent relativistic mean field formalism. The excitation energy and the level density parameter for a given temperature are employed in the convolution integral method to obtain the probability of the particular fragmentation. As representative case, we present the results for the binary fission yield of 250 U and 254 Th. The relative yields are presented for three different temperatures T = 1, 2 and 3 MeV.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2017

Structure effects on fission yields

The structure effects of the fission fragments on their yields are studied within the statical theory with the inputs, like, excitation energies and level density parameters for the fission fragments at a given temperature calculated using the temperature dependent relativistic mean field formalism (TRMF). For the comparison, the results are also obtained using the finite range droplet model. At temperatures $T =1-2$ MeV, the structural effects of the fission fragments influence their yields. It is also seen that at $T = $ 3 MeV, the fragments become spherical and the fragments distribution peaks at a close shell or near close shell nucleus.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2016

Ternary fission within the temperature dependent relativistic mean field approach

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 = 1, 2 and 3 MeV. For the comparison, the relative yields are also calculated from the single particle energies of the finite range droplet model (FRDM). In general, the larger phase space for the ternary fragmentation is observed indicating that such fragmentations are most probable ones. For T = 2 and 3 MeV, the Sn + Ni + Ca is the most probable combination for the nucleus 252Cf. However, for the nuclei 242Pu and 236U, the maximum fragmentation yields at T = 2 MeV differ from those at T = 3 MeV. For T = 3 MeV, the closed shell (Z = 8) light mass fragments with its corresponding partners has larger yield values. But, at T = 2 MeV Si/P/S are favorable fragments with the corresponding partners. It is noticed that the symmetric binary fragmentation along with the fixed third fragment for 242Pu and 236U are also favored at T = 1 MeV. The temperature dependence of the nuclear shape and the single particle energies are also discussed.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

Structure effects in the region of superheavy elements via the $α$-decay chain of $^{293}$118

The $α$-decay chain of $^{293}$118, first proposed in the Berkeley cold fusion experiment $^{208}$Pb($^{86}$Kr,1n) and now retracted, is calculated by using the preformed cluster model (PCM) of one of us (RKG). Also, the possible branchings of $α$-particles to heavier cluster decays of all the parents in this chain are calculated for the first time. The calculated Q-values, penetrabilities and preformation factors for $α$-decays suggest that the $^{285}$114 nucleus with Z=114, N=171 is a magic nucleus, either due to the magicity of Z=114, or of N=172 or of both. The N=172 is proposed to be a magic number in certain relativistic mean-field calculations, but with Z=120. The calculated cluster decays point to new interesting possibilities of $^{14}$C decay of the $^{281}$112 parent, giving rise to a (reasonably) deformed Z=106, N=161, $^{267}$106 daughter (N=162 being now established as the deformed magic shell) or to a doubly magic $^{48}$Ca cluster emitted from any of the parent nucleus in the $α$-decay chain. Apparently, these are exciting new directions for future experiments.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

The cluster-core model for halo-structure of light nuclei at the drip lines

Nuclei at both the neutron- and proton-drip lines are studied. In the cluster-core model, the halo-structure of all the observed and proposed cases of neutron- or proton-halos is investigated in terms of simple potential energy surfaces calculated as the sum of binding energies, Coulomb repulsion, nuclear proximity attraction and the centrifugal potential for all the possible cluster+core configurations of a nucleus. The clusters of neutrons and protons are taken to be unbound, with additional Coulomb energy added for proton-clusters. The model predictions agree with the available experimental studies but show some differences with the nucleon separation energy hypothesis, particularly for proton-halo nuclei. Of particular interest are the halo-structures of $^{11}N$ and $^{20}Mg$. The calculated potential energy surfaces are also useful to identify the new magic numbers and molecular structures in exotic nuclei. In particular, N=6 is a possible new magic number for very neutron-deficient nuclei, but Z=N=2 and Z=8 seem to remain magic even for such nuclei, near the drip line.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2011

The formation and decay of superheavy nuclei produced in $^{48}Ca$-induced reactions

The formation of superheavy nuclei in $^{48}Ca+^{232}Th$, $^{238}U$, $^{242,244}Pu$ and $^{248}Cm$ reactions and their subsequent decay are studied within the quantum mechanical fragmentation theory (QMFT) and the QMFT based preformed cluster-decay model (PCM) of Gupta and collaborators. According to QMFT, all these $^{48}Ca$-induced reactions are cold fusion reactions with relative excitation energies larger than for the $Pb$-induced cold fusion reactions and smaller than for the lighter beam i.e. $Mg$, $Si$ or $S$-induced hot fusion reactions. The same reactions were first suggested by Gupta et al. in 1977 on the basis of QMFT, and this study re-establishes the same result. In fact, for such heavy isotopes of Z=110 to 116, $^{50}Ca$ is shown to be a better beam for cold fusion, but $^{50}Ca$ is a radioactive nucleus. The $α$-decay half-lives of these nuclei after 3n and/ or 4n evaporations, i.e. of the evaporation residues of these compound systems, calculated on PCM compare reasonably well with experiments published by Dubna group and another recent calculation. As expected for such rare decays, PCM calculations show that the $α$-preformation factors are small, $\sim 10^{-8}$ to $10^{-10}$. The possible competition of $α$-decays with heavy cluster emissions from these superheavy nuclei is also probed from the point of view of searching for new nuclear structure information and possible future experiments with such exotic nuclei. The decay half-lives for some clusters are in fact shown to be lower than the limits of experiments for nuclei with enough available atoms.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2004

Dynamical cluster-decay model for hot and rotating light-mass nuclear systems, applied to low-energy $^{32}$S + $^{24}$Mg $\to ^{56}$Ni reaction

The dynamical cluster-decay model (DCM) is developed further for the decay of hot and rotating compound nuclei (CN) formed in light heavy-ion reactions. The model is worked out in terms of only one parameter, namely the neck-length parameter, which is related to the total kinetic energy TKE(T) or effective Q-value $Q_{eff}(T)$ at temperature T of the hot CN, defined in terms of the both the light-particles (LP), with $A \leq$ 4, Z $\leq$ 2, as well as the complex intermediate mass fragments (IMF), with $4 < A < 20, Z > 2$, is considered as the dynamical collective mass motion of preformed clusters through the barrier. Within the same dynamical model treatment, the LPs are shown to have different characteristics as compared to the IMFs. The systematic variation of the LP emission cross section $σ_{LP}$, and IMF emission cross section $σ_{IMF}$, calculated on the present DCM match exactly the statistical fission model predictions. It is for the first time that a non-statistical dynamical description is developed for the emission of light-particles from the hot and rotating CN. The model is applied to the decay of $^{56}$Ni formed in the $^{32}$S + $^{24}$Mg reaction at two incident energies E$_{c.m.}$ = 51.6 and 60.5 MeV. Both the IMFs and average $\bar{TKE}$ spectra are found to compare reasonably nicely with the experimental data, favoring asymmetric mass distributions. The LPs emission cross section is shown to depend strongly on the type of emitted particles and their multiplicities.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2003

Collective clusterization effects in light heavy ion reactions

The collective clusterization process, proposed for intermediate mass fragments (IMFs, 4$<$A$\le$28, 2$<$Z$\le$14) emitted from the hot and rotating compound nuclei formed in low energy reactions, is extended further to include also the emission of light particles (LPs, A$\le$4, Z$\le$2) from the fusion-evaporation residues. Both the LPs and IMFs are treated as the dynamical collective mass motion of preformed clusters through the barrier. Compared to IMFs, LPs are shown to have different characteristics, and the predictions of our, so-called, dynamical cluster-decay model are similar to those of the statistical fission model.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2003

A new semiempirical formula for exotic cluster decays of nuclei

A new semiempirical formula, with only three parameters, is proposed for cluster decay half-lives. The parameters of the formula are obtained by making a least square fit to the available experimental data. The calculated half-lives are compared with an other model-independent scaling law proposed earlier by Horoi {\it et al}. Also, the calculated results of this formula are compared with the recent results of the preformed cluster model for $^{12}$C and $^{14}$C emissions from different deformed and superdeformed Nd and Gd parents. The results are in good agreement with experiments as well as other models.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2003

Oriented collisions for cold synthesis of 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.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2003

Closed shell effects from the stability and instability of deformed and superdeformed nuclei against cluster decays in the mass regions 130-158 and 180-198

The stability and/or instability of the deformed and superdeformed nuclei, $^{133-137}_{60}$Nd, $^{144-158}_{64}$Gd, $^{176-194}_{80}$Hg, and $^{192-198}_{82}$Pb parents, coming from three regions of different superdeformations, are studied with respect to the $α$ and heavy cluster decays. The $α$-decay studies also include the heavier $^{199-210}$Pb nuclei, for reasons of spherical magic shells at Z=82 and N=126. The calculations are made by using the preformed cluster-decay model, and the obtained $α$-decay half-lives are compared with the available experimental data. Having met with a very good success for the comparisons of $α$-decay half-lives and in giving the associated known magic or sub-magic closed shell structures of both the parent nuclei and daughter products, the interplay of closed shell effects in the cluster-decay calculations is investigated. The cluster-decay calculations also give the closed shell effects of known spherical magicities, both for the parent and daughter nuclei, and further predict new (deformed) closed shells at Z=72-74 and N=96-104 due to both the stability and instability of Hg and Pb parents against cluster decays. Specifically, a new deformed daughter radioactivity is predicted for various cluster decays of $^{186-190}$Hg and $^{194,195}$Pb parents with the best possible measurable cases identified as the $^8$Be and $^{12}$C decays of $^{176,177}$Hg and/or $^{192}$Pb parents. The predicted decay half-lives are within the measurable limits of the present experimental methods. The interesting point to note is that the parents with measurable cluster decay rates are normal deformed nuclei at the transition between normal and super-deformation.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2003

Emission of intermediate mass fragments from hot $^{116}$Ba$^*$ formed in low-energy $^{58}$Ni+$^{58}$Ni reaction

The complex fragments (or intermediate mass fragments) observed in the low-energy $^{58}$Ni+$^{58}$Ni$\to ^{116}$Ba$^*$ reaction, are studied within the dynamical cluster decay model for s-wave with the use of the temperature-dependent liquid drop, Coulomb and proximity energies. The important result is that, due to the temperature effects in liquid drop energy, the explicit preference for $α$-like fragments is washed out, though the $^{12}$C (or the complementary $^{104}$Sn) decay is still predicted to be one of the most probable $α$-nucleus decay for this reaction. The production rates for non-$α$ like intermediate mass fragments (IMFs) are now higher and the light particle production is shown to accompany the IMFs at all incident energies, without involving any statistical evaporation process in the model. The comparisons between the experimental data and the (s-wave) calculations for IMFs production cross sections are rather satisfactory and the contributions from other $\ell$-waves need to be added for a further improvement of these comparisons and for calculations of the total kinetic energies of fragments.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2003

Cluster-decay of hot $^{56}$Ni$^*$ formed in $^{32}$S+$^{24}$Mg reaction

The decay of $^{56}Ni^*$, formed in $^{32}S+^{24}Mg$ reaction at the incident energies $E_{cm}$=51.6 and 60.5 MeV, is calculated as a cluster decay process within the Preformed Cluster-decay Model (PCM) of Gupta et al. re-formulated for hot compound systems. The observed deformed shapes of the exit channel fragments are simulated by introducing the neck-length parameter at the scission configuration, which nearly coincides the $^{56}Ni$ saddle configuration. This is the only parameter of the model, which though is also defined in terms of the binding energy of the hot compound system and the ground-state binding energies of the various emitted fragments. The calculated s-wave cross sections for nuclear shapes with outgoing fragments separated within nuclear proximity limit (here $\sim$0.3 fm) can be compared with the experimental data, and the TKEs are found to be in reasonably good agreement with experiments for the angular momentum effects added in the sticking limit for the moment of inertia. Also, some light particle production (other than the statistical evaporation residue, not treated here) is predicted at these energies and, interestingly, $^4He$, which belongs to evaporation residue, is found missing as a dynamical cluster-decay fragment.

nucl-th↗