Measurement of polarization observables in elastic and inelastic electron-deuteron scattering at the VEPP-3 storage ring.

Fission Barrier of Superheavy Nuclei and Persistence of Shell Effects at High Spin: Cases ofNo254andTh220

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

Photoreactions with tensor-polarized deuterium target at VEPP–3

We give an overview of the activity in studying photoprocesses on a tensor-polarized deuterium target, which is carried out at the VEPP–3 electron storage ring. Recent experimental results on tensor asymmetries in two-body deuteron photodisintegration at the photon energy up to 500 MeV, and in coherent pion photoproduction on deuteron are presented. Plans to upgrade the facility and future experiments are discussed. Further progress is connected with the installation of a tagging system for almost-real photons. This would allow us to extend the measurements of polarization observables in photonuclear reactions on deuteron up to a photon energy of 1.5 GeV and permit to perform double polariz…

Exploring the stability of super heavy elements: First Measurement of the Fission Barrier of $^{254} $No

The gamma-ray multiplicity and total energy emitted by the heavy nucleus 254No have been measured at 2 different beam energies. From these measurements, the initial distributions of spin I and excitation energy E * of 254No were constructed. The distributions display a saturation in excitation energy, which allows a direct determination of the fission barrier. 254No is the heaviest shell-stabilized nucleus with a measured fission barrier. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014.

Stability and synthesis of superheavy elements: Fighting the battle against fission – example of $^{254}$No

International audience; Superheavy nuclei exist solely due to quantum shell effects,which create a pocket in the potential-energy surface of the nucleus, thusproviding a barrier against spontaneous fission. Determining the height ofthe fission barrier and its angular-momentum dependence is important toquantify the role that microscopic shell corrections play in enhancing andextending the limits of nuclear stability. In this talk, the first measurement ofa fission barrier in the very heavy nucleus 254No will be presented.