Measuring the Heaviest Atoms

摘要

The existence of superheavy elements, those with many more protons than uranium (proton number 92), was predicted more than 40 years ago. Their increased stability against nuclear fission originates from nuclear shells that are filled with protons and neutrons, similar to the electron orbitals in an atom. For specific combinations of the number of protons and neutrons, so-called magic numbers, a more strongly bound system is formed that also has a longer half-life. The superheavy elements are predicted to populate an "island of stability" located around proton number 120 and neutron number 184.