Coulomb effects in isobaric cold fission from reactions 233U(nth,f), 235U(nth,f), 239Pu(nth,f) and 252Cf(sf)

Abstract

The Coulomb effect hypothesis, formerly used to interpret fluctuations in the curve of maximal total kinetic energy as a function of light fragment mass in reactions 233U(nth,f), 235U(nth,f) and 239Pu(nth,f), is confirmed in high kinetic energy as well as in low excitation energy windows, respectively. Data from reactions 233U(nth,f), 235U(nth,f), 239Pu(nth,f) and 252Cf(sf) show that, between two isobaric fragmentations with similar Q-values, the more asymmetric charge split reaches the higher value of total kinetic energy. Moreover, in isobaric charge splits with different Q-values, similar preference for asymmetrical fragmentations is observed in low excitation energy windows.