earlyfission

earlyfission is a term that describes the phenomenon of nuclear fission occurring at very low excitation energies in atomic nuclei. Typically, nuclear fission is induced by providing enough energy to a nucleus to overcome its binding forces and break apart into two or more smaller nuclei. However, in certain circumstances, fission can happen spontaneously or with minimal energy input, a process that falls under the umbrella of earlyfission.

This concept is particularly relevant when considering the stability of heavy nuclei. While most nuclei are stable or undergo radioactive decay through processes like alpha or beta emission, extremely heavy isotopes can possess an inherent tendency towards fission. Earlyfission explores the quantum mechanical tunneling mechanisms that allow a nucleus to traverse the potential energy barrier that separates it from a fissioned state, even without sufficient classical energy to surmount it.

Research into earlyfission contributes to a deeper understanding of nuclear structure and the forces that govern atomic nuclei. It has implications for nuclear astrophysics, particularly in understanding nucleosynthesis in extreme cosmic environments, and for nuclear security applications, where precise knowledge of fission probabilities is crucial. The study involves complex theoretical models and experimental observations of spontaneous fission rates and fission probabilities at low incident energies.