Heavy-ion induced fission: new prompt and sequential modes

Intermediate nuclear systems produced transiently in heavy-ion reactions at Fermi bombarding energies are subject to significant mechanical shocks and thermal stresses. These systems often respond by a dynamic fission-like or binary splitting event exhibiting characteristic fragment distributions and emission patterns. Testing limits of nuclear stability, such processes provide access to the nuclear tensile strength at various excitations. Experimental data for asymmetric heavy-ion reaction pairs are used to demonstrate a newly discovered mode of prompt fission of the composite nucleus formed in central 78Kr+40Ca collisions at E/A=10 MeV and the fission-like decay of projectile-like fragments in proximity of its reaction partner, following a dissipative 48Ca+112Sn interaction at E/A=45 MeV