Wilson, J. N., Thisse, D., Lebois, M., Jovancevic, N., Gjestvang, D., Canavan, R., Rudigier, M., Etasse, D., Gerst, R-B, Gaudefroy, L., Adamska, E., Adsley, P., Algora, A., Babo, M., Belvedere, K., Benito, J., Benzoni, G., Blazhev, A., Boso, A., Bottoni, S., Bunce, M., Chakma, R., Cieplicka-Orynczak, N., Courtin, S., Cortes, M. L., Davies, P., Delafosse, C., Fallot, M., Fornal, B., Fraile, L., Gottardo, A., Guadilla, V, Haefner, G., Hauschild, K., Heine, M., Henrich, C., Homm, I, Ibrahim, F., Iskra, L. W., Ivanov, P., Jazrawi, S., Korgul, A., Koseoglou, P., Kroell, T., Kurtukian-Nieto, T., Le Meur, L., Leoni, S., Ljungvall, J., Lopez-Martens, A., Lozeva, R., Matea, I, Miernik, K., Nemer, J., Oberstedt, S., Paulsen, W., Piersa, M., Popovitch, Y., Porzio, C., Qi, L., Ralet, D., Regan, P. H., Rezynkina, K., Sanchez-Tembleque, V, Siem, S., Schmitt, C., Soderstrom, P-A, Surder, C., Tocabens, G., Vedia, V., Verney, D., Warr, N., Wasilewska, B., Wiederhold, J., Yavahchova, M., Zeiser, F. and Ziliani, S. (2021). Angular momentum generation in nuclear fission. Nature, 590 (7847). BERLIN: NATURE PORTFOLIO. ISSN 1476-4687

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Abstract

When a heavy atomic nucleus splits (fission), the resulting fragments are observed to emerge spinning(1); this phenomenon has been a mystery in nuclear physics for over 40 years(2,3). The internal generation of typically six or seven units of angular momentum in each fragment is particularly puzzling for systems that start with zero, or almost zero, spin. There are currently no experimental observations that enable decisive discrimination between the many competing theories for the mechanism that generates the angular momentum(4-12). Nevertheless, the consensus is that excitation of collective vibrational modes generates the intrinsic spin before the nucleus splits (pre-scission). Here we show that there is no significant correlation between the spins of the fragment partners, which leads us to conclude that angular momentum in fission is actually generated after the nucleus splits (post-scission). We present comprehensive data showing that the average spin is strongly mass-dependent, varying in saw-tooth distributions. We observe no notable dependence of fragment spin on the mass or charge of the partner nucleus, confirming the uncorrelated post-scission nature of the spin mechanism. To explain these observations, we propose that the collective motion of nucleons in the ruptured neck of the fissioning system generates two independent torques, analogous to the snapping of an elastic band. A parameterization based on occupation of angular momentum states according to statistical theory describes the full range of experimental data well. This insight into the role of spin in nuclear fission is not only important for the fundamental understanding and theoretical description of fission, but also has consequences for the gamma-ray heating problem in nuclear reactors(13,14), for the study of the structure of neutron-rich isotopes(15,16), and for the synthesis and stability of super-heavy elements(17,18). gamma-ray spectroscopy experiments on the origin of spin in the products of nuclear fission of spin-zero nuclei suggest that the fission fragments acquire their spin after scission, rather than before.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Wilson, J. N.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Thisse, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Lebois, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Jovancevic, N.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gjestvang, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Canavan, R.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Rudigier, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Etasse, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gerst, R-BUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gaudefroy, L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Adamska, E.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Adsley, P.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Algora, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Babo, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Belvedere, K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Benito, J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Benzoni, G.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Blazhev, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Boso, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bottoni, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bunce, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Chakma, R.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Cieplicka-Orynczak, N.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Courtin, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Cortes, M. L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Davies, P.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Delafosse, C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Fallot, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Fornal, B.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Fraile, L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gottardo, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Guadilla, VUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Haefner, G.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Hauschild, K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Heine, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Henrich, C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Homm, IUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ibrahim, F.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Iskra, L. W.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ivanov, P.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Jazrawi, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Korgul, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Koseoglou, P.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kroell, T.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kurtukian-Nieto, T.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Le Meur, L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Leoni, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ljungvall, J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Lopez-Martens, A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Lozeva, R.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Matea, IUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Miernik, K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Nemer, J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Oberstedt, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Paulsen, W.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Piersa, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Popovitch, Y.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Porzio, C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Qi, L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ralet, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Regan, P. H.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Rezynkina, K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Sanchez-Tembleque, VUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Siem, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Schmitt, C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Soderstrom, P-AUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Surder, C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Tocabens, G.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Vedia, V.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Verney, D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Warr, N.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Wasilewska, B.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Wiederhold, J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Yavahchova, M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Zeiser, F.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Ziliani, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-607283
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03304-w
Journal or Publication Title: Nature
Volume: 590
Number: 7847
Date: 2021
Publisher: NATURE PORTFOLIO
Place of Publication: BERLIN
ISSN: 1476-4687
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
PROMPT; FRAGMENTS; HEAVY; MULTIPLICITY; FUSION; SPINS; MASSMultiple languages
Multidisciplinary SciencesMultiple languages
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/60728

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