Synthesisq Decay Propertiesq And Identification Of Superheavy Nuclei Produced In Ca-48-Induced Reactions

Thirty-four new nuclides with Z=104-116, 118 and N=161-177 have been synthesized\in the complete-fusion reactions of U-238, (237) Np, Pu-242,Pu-244, Am-243, Cm-245,Cm-248, and Cf-249 targets with Ca-48 beams. no masses of evaporation residues were identified through measurements of the excitation functions of the xn-evaporation channels and from cross bombardments. The decay properties of the new nuclei agree with those of previously known heavy nuclei and with predictions from different theoretical models. A discussion of self-consistent interpretations of all observed decay chains originating from the parent isotopes (282,283)112, (282)1 13, (286-289)114, (287,288)115, (290-293)116, and (294)118 is presented. Decay energies and lifetimes of the neutron-rich superheavy nuclei as well as their production cross sections indicate a considerable increase in the stability of nuclei with the approach to the theoretically predicted nuclear shells with N=184 and Z=114.