Photofission of nuclei at low excitation energies

The paper presents a review of the experimental data of heavy nuclei fission (Z≥88) by low-energy γ-quanta. The primary objective of the paper is such area of investigations as fission cross sections, angular distribution of fragments, spontaneously fissile isomers for a wide range of nuclei mass numbers, up to transuranium elements. Peculiarities of nuclei photofission are discussed for such processes as nuclei fission in the region of giant resonance, subbarrier nuclei photofission of isomeric nuclei using microtrons. 34 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab