Examination of evidence for collinear cluster tri-partition

TL;DR

This paper reports experimental evidence for a new collinear cluster tri-partition decay mode in heavy nuclei, compares it with theoretical models, and suggests further experiments for validation.

Contribution

It provides experimental data supporting the existence of collinear cluster tri-partition and discusses theoretical models explaining the observed phenomena.

Findings

Observation of manifestations of collinear cluster tri-partition

Comparison of experimental data with theoretical predictions

Proposal for independent experimental verification

Abstract

In a series of the experiments at different time-of-flight spectrometers of heavy ions we have observed manifestations of a new at least ternary decay channel of low excited heavy nuclei. Due to specific features of the effect, it was called collinear cluster tri-partition (CCT). The experimental results obtained initiated a number of theoretical articles dedicated to different aspects of the CCT. We compare theoretical predictions with our experimental data, only partially published so far. The model of one of the most populated CCT modes that gives rise to the so called "Ni-bump" is discussed. Detection of the 68-72Ni fission fragments with a kinetic energy E<25 MeV at the mass-separator Lohengrin is proposed for an independent experimental verification of the CCT.