UNDERSTANDING THE SYNTHESIS OF THE HEAVIEST NUCLEI

Two measurements of P_CN, the fusion probability, are described. In the first measurement, the value of P_CN was deduced for a typical cold fusion reaction, the ⁵⁰Ti + ²⁰⁸Pb reaction, by analysis of the fission fragment angular distributions. In the second measurement, P_CN was deduced, using the DNS model, from experimental measurements of the capture and EVR cross sections for the ¹²⁴Sn + ⁹⁶Zr reaction. Comparison of the deduced values of P_CN with various theoretical models of the synthesis of the heaviest nuclei are made.