Heavy and superheavy elements production in high intensive fluxes of explosive process

TL;DR

This paper develops a mathematical model to predict the production of heavy and superheavy nuclei in explosive pulsed neutron fluxes, considering process stages, isotope compositions, and nuclear reaction probabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed model for heavy element synthesis in explosive conditions, accounting for process stages, isotope mixtures, and nuclear reaction dynamics.

Findings

Production of superheavy elements requires specific isotope mixtures.

Long-lived curium or californium isotopes enhance superheavy element yields.

Model aligns with experimental data from US nuclear explosion tests.

Abstract

Mathematical model of heavy and superheavy nuclei production in intensive pulsed neutron fluxes of explosive process is developed. The pulse character of the process allows dividing it in time into two stages: very short rapid process of multiple neutron captures with higher temperature and very intensive neutron fluxes, and relatively slower process with lower temperature and neutron fluxes. The model was also extended for calculation of the transuranium yields in nuclear explosions takes into account the adiabatic character of the process, the probabilities of delayed fission, and the emission of delayed neutrons. Also the binary starting target isotopes compositions were included. Calculations of heavy transuranium and transfermium nuclei production were made for Mike, Par and Barbel experiments, performed in USA. It is shown that the production of transfermium neutron-rich nuclei and superheavy elements with A ~ 295 is only possible in case of binary mixture of starting isotopes with the significant addition of heavy components, such as long-lived isotopes of curium, or californium.