Fission Properties and Random Probability Analysis of Super Heavy Nuclei

During the last 18 years, six new elements have been discovered and confirmed and over 50 new isotopes have been synthesized in nuclear reactions using ⁴⁸Ca beams and actinide targets (²³⁷Np, ^{239,240,242,244}Pu, ²⁴³Am, ^245,248Cm, ²⁴⁹Bk, ^249,251Cf). The production properties of Fl isotopes will be discussed briefly with regards to fission. The extent of the region of enhanced stability near Z = 114 and N = 184 is not completely known. To attempt to produce the heaviest isotopes of element 118, new experiments were performed using ⁴⁸Ca projectiles and a ²⁵¹Cf (mixed isotope) target at the Dubna Gas Filled Recoil Separator (DGFRS) located in the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions in Dubna. Progress on the production of ²⁹⁴Og and heavier isotopes of element 118 will be discussed. The probability that observed decay chains are due to random events occurring in the detectors or electronics rather than correlated decay chains, using the LLNL-developed method of Monte Carlo Random Probability analysis will be discussed.