Description
Nuclear fission is a complex phenomenon that results from a collective movement of large amplitude during which a heavy nucleus deforms more and more until it splits into two lighter nuclei. Fission is a rich laboratory for studying structural, dynamical and statistical properties of nuclei. It is also highly relevant for understanding the origin of heavy elements in the universe. In addition, fission is a powerful source of energy and therefore also very important for industry and society.
European scientists have made significant contributions to fission research through high-quality experiments and theoretical studies. However, the fission process is still far from being understood and there is no universal microscopic theory yet that encompasses, for example, spontaneous fission and fission induced by different incident particles, and that describes all of the many fission observables. Theoretical progress relies on the availability of more complete experimental observations than currently available, which provide simultaneous access to the largest possible number of observables with good resolution, and this over a wide range of fissioning nuclei, excitation energy and angular momentum. Our goal is to define a common European strategy to advance towards a complete description of fission.