On numerical relations playing a role in nuclear fission

TL;DR

This paper explores the significance of specific numerical relationships, such as mass numbers and magic numbers, in understanding nuclear fission, proposing simple models and predictions for fragment properties.

Contribution

It introduces simple relationships linking primordial cluster properties to fission fragment characteristics and predicts the mean atomic number of heavy fragments using the nucleon phase model.

Findings

Mass number and atomic number relationships for fission fragments

Prediction of mean atomic number 54 for heavy fragments

Validation of simple models in nuclear fission analysis

Abstract

The key numbers useful for describing the fission process are the mass number of the primordial cluster of the fissioning system and the magic mass numbers 82 and 126 of the nascent light and heavy fragments. The mean mass number and the mean atomic number of the light fragments are linked to the mass number and to the atomic number of the primordial cluster by simple relationships. The value 54 of the mean atomic number of the heavy fragments is predicted by the nucleon phase model.