Nuclear isomers in superheavy elements as stepping stones towards the island of stability

Discovery of New Isotope ^{241}U and Systematic High-Precision Atomic Mass Measurements of Neutron-Rich Pa-Pu Nuclei Produced via Multinucleon Transfer Reactions

The new isotope ^{241}U was synthesized and systematic atomic mass measurements of nineteen neutron-rich Pa-Pu isotopes were performed in the multinucleon transfer reactions of the ^{238}U+^{198}Pt system at the KISS facility. The present experimental results demonstrate the crucial role of the multinucleon transfer reactions for accessing unexplored neutron-rich actinide isotopes toward the N=152 shell gap in this region of nuclides.

Nuclear and chemical characterization of heavy actinides

Recent progress in the production of heavy nuclei far from stability and in the studies of nuclear and chemical properties of heavy actinides is briefly reviewed. Exotic nuclear decay properties including nuclear fission of heavy nuclei, measurements of first ionization potentials of heavy actinides, and redox studies of heavy actinides are described. Brief history of discovery of the transuranium elements is also presented.

Synthesis and properties of isotopes of the transactinides

Isotopes of transactinide elements have to be synthesized in nuclear reactions with light or heavy beam particles. The efficient production by neutron capture and subsequent β − decay as it is used for the production of isotopes of actinide elements up to fermium is no longer possible due to the lack of suitable target material. The content of this article is about the synthesis and the study of the decay properties of nuclei to which atomic, respectively proton numbers from Z = 104 to 118 could be unambiguously assigned by physical means. The results identified the reaction products as isotopes of new elements beyond the actinides, the transactinides. As such the elements received names given by the discovers ranging from rutherfordium for element 104 to oganesson for element 118 which completes the 7th row of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Intensive heavy ion beams, sophisticated target technology, efficient electromagnetic ion separators, and sensitive detector arrays were the prerequisites for discovery of the elements from Z = 107 to 118 during the years from 1981 to 2013. The results and the techniques are described. Also given is a historical introduction into early experiments and the theoretical predictions for a possible existence of an island of stability located at the crossing of the next closed shells for the protons and neutrons beyond the doubly magic nucleus 208Pb. The experimental results are compared with recent theoretical calculations on cross-sections and decay modes of these superheavy nuclei, respectively isotopes of superheavy elements. An outlook is given on further improvement of experimental facilities which will be needed for exploration of the extension and structure of the island of superheavy nuclei, in particular for searching for isotopes with longer half-lives predicted to be located in the south east and for isotopes of further new elements expected in the north-east direction of the island at the upper end of the chart of nuclei.

Nuclear structure of superheavy nuclei - state of the art and perspectives (@ S3)

Decay spectroscopy is a powerful tool to study the low lying nuclear structure of heavy and superheavy nuclei (SHN). Single particle levels and other structure features like K isomerism, being important in the fermium-nobelium region as well as for the spherical shell stabilized SHN, can be investigated. The new separator-spectrometer combination S3, presently under construction at the new SPIRAL2 facility of GANIL, Caen, France, together with the high intensity beams of SPIRAL2’s superconducting linear accelerator (SC LINAC), will offer exciting perspectives for a wide spectrum of nuclear and atomic physics topics. The installation is designed to employ nuclear physics methods like decay spectroscopy after separation or atomic physics methods like laser spectroscopy and mass measurements. The nuclear physics studies will include particle and photon correlation studies, attacking the open questions in the field, which have been revealed in earlier studies at facilities like e.g. GSI in Darmstadt, Germany, with the velocity filter SHIP and the gas-filled separator TASCA, the cyclotron accelerator laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, with RITU and its numerous auxiliary detection set-ups, and FLNR/JINR in Dubna with the DGFRS and VASSILISSA/SHELS separators.

Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy

Until recently, ground-state nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei could only be inferred from nuclear spectroscopy, where model assumptions are required. Laser spectroscopy in combination with modern atomic structure calculations is now able to probe these moments directly, in a comprehensive and nuclear-model-independent way. Here we report on unique access to the differential mean-square charge radii of ^{252,253,254}No, and therefore to changes in nuclear size and shape. State-of-the-art nuclear density functional calculations describe well the changes in nuclear charge radii in the region of the heavy actinides, indicating an appreciable central depression in the deformed proton density distribution in ^{252,254}No isotopes. Finally, the hyperfine splitting of ^{253}No was evaluated, enabling a complementary measure of its (quadrupole) deformation, as well as an insight into the neutron single-particle wave function via the nuclear spin and magnetic moment.

Review of metastable states in heavy nuclei

The structure of nuclear isomeric states is reviewed in the context of their role in contemporary nuclear physics research. Emphasis is given to high-spin isomers in heavy nuclei, with [Formula: see text]. The possibility to exploit isomers to study some of the most exotic nuclei is a recurring theme. In spherical nuclei, the role of octupole collectivity is discussed in detail, while in deformed nuclei the limitations of the K quantum number are addressed. Isomer targets and isomer beams are considered, along with applications related to energy storage, astrophysics, medicine, and experimental advances.

Fission barrier of superheavy nuclei and persistence of shell effects at high spin: cases of 254No and 220Th

We report on the first measurement of the fission barrier height in a heavy shell-stabilized nucleus. The fission barrier height of 254No is measured to be Bf=6.0±0.5  MeV at spin 15ℏ and, by extrapolation, Bf=6.6±0.9  MeV at spin 0ℏ. This information is deduced from the measured distribution of entry points in the excitation energy versus spin plane. The same measurement is performed for 220Th and only a lower limit of the fission barrier height can be determined: Bf(I)>8  MeV. Comparisons with theoretical fission barriers test theories that predict properties of superheavy elements.

The impact of the properties of the heaviest elements on the chemical and physical sciences

The unique role of the heaviest elements in chemical and physical sciences is discussed. With the actinide series (Z = 90-103) and the superactinide series (Z = 122-155), the heaviest elements have significantly shaped the architecture of the Periodic Table of the elements. Relativistic effects in the electron shells of the heaviest elements change the chemical properties in a given group in a non-linear fashion. Relativistically stabilized sub-shell closures give rise to a new category of elements in the Periodic Table: volatile metals. The prototype for this property is element 114 which, due to the relativistic stabilization of its 7s2 7p2 1/2 electron configuration, is volatile in its elementary state, but, in contrast to a noble gas, exhibits a marked metalmetal interaction with a gold surface at room temperature. Nuclear shell effects dominate the physical properties of the transuranium elements. These give rise to superdeformed shape isomers (fission isomers) in the actinides (U-Bk). Superheavy elements (Z ≥ 104) owe their existence solely to nuclear shell effects at N = 152, 162, and 184. At this time, a building lot is the location of the next spherical proton shell closure as there is evidence that the center of the “island of stability” is not at Z = 114. This needs urgently further theoretical and experimental efforts. The cross sections for the syntheses of elements 119 and 120 will give us important information on the “upper end of the Periodic Table of the elements”.

Production and properties of transuranium elements

We summarize historical perspective of the transuranium elements, neptunium (Np) through lawrencium (Lr), and recent progress on production, and nuclear and chemical properties of these elements. Exotic decay properties of heavy nuclei are also introduced. Chemical properties of transuranium elements in aqueous and solid states are summarized based on the actinide concept.

Spectroscopy of actinide and transactinide nuclei

The role of isomers for nuclei with Z ≥ 100 is discussed. Recent advances in experimental instrumentation leading to combined in-beam gamma ray and conversion electron spectroscopy are discussed. The rotational spectra of nuclei with Z ≥ 94 and their moments of inertia are discussed. Examples for in-beam spectroscopy leading to the discovery and identification of isomers are given in 248,250Fm. Here some attention is given to the assignment of nuclear configurations from g-factors measured via the branching ratios of coupled bands built on the isomers. A full list of the longest lived isomers in nuclei with Z ≥ 82 is given.

Gamma-ray spectroscopy at the limits: first observation of rotational bands in 255Lr

The rotational band structure of 255Lr has been investigated using advanced in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopic techniques. To date, 255Lr is the heaviest nucleus to be studied in this manner. One rotational band has been unambiguously observed and strong evidence for a second rotational structure was found. The structures are tentatively assigned to be based on the 1/2-[521] and 7/2-[514] Nilsson states, consistent with assignments from recently obtained alpha decay data. The experimental rotational band dynamic moment of inertia is used to test self-consistent mean-field calculations using the Skyrme SLy4 interaction and a density-dependent pairing force.