Influence of the Exit Channel in $^{235}$U(n,f) and $^{239}$Pu(n,f) Reactions in Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory

Abstract

This study investigates the consequences of the intrinsic deformation of the fissioning nuclear system near the outer saddle point on the shape evolution of the nucleus from saddle to scission and on the properties of the fission fragments. It is found that trajectories generally split into at least three classes, asymmetric, near-symmetric, and highly-asymmetric fission, that are roughly determined by the initial magnitude of the octupole moment, and each of which exhibits different scission dynamics and fragment properties. Near-symmetric modes result in a highly elongated neck at scission, leading to the neck rupture occurring when the proto-fragments are further apart than is the case for typical asymmetric fission, which in turn leads to a lower total kinetic energy and higher total excitation energy. The majority of this additional excitation energy goes into the heavy fission fragment, that develops a substantial quadrupole deformation. A similar trend is observed for the total kinetic energy of highly-asymmetric fission events, and the opposite trend for the excitation energy of the fission fragments as the majority of the additional excitation energy goes into the light fission fragment instead. The study also characterizes the neck rupture, including its effect on the emission of scission neutrons in near-symmetric fission.