Theoretical Estimates of Spontaneous-Fission Half-Lives for Superheavy Elements Based on the Modified-Oscillator Model

Abstract

The stability problem for the superheavy elements has been reconsidered based on the use of the shape-dependent droplet model and the modified-oscillator potential. The effect of axial asymmetry on the barrier heights is included. A semi-empirical inertial-mass function is employed. Alternatively the inertial-mass parameters are calculated microscopically. The spontaneous-fission half-lives are calculated with these inertials. Both of the latter were renormalized to give optimal agreement with experimental half-lives in the actinide region. The resulting spontaneous-fission half-lives in the SHE region are somewhat shorter than those of most previous estimates, predicting, for example, around 10⁵ years as the total half-live for the most stable nucleus ²⁹⁴110.