DOUBLE SEQUENTIAL FISSION IN THE REACTION (16.7 MEV U) U+AU OBSERVED WITH MICA DETECTORS/

One of the main advantages of using dielectric track detectors in the study of heavy ion interactions is the possibility of observing each m ulti-prong event individually with complete kinematical details. It is thus possible to analyze even those reaction channels that have very low branching ratios. In the study of reactions induced by 16.7 MeV/u uranium ions incident on natural gold targets, we have observed 18 fou r-pronged events in a total detector area of 24 cm(2). Using a polynom ial range-energy relationship, empirically fitted to the observed data of binary and ternary events, it was possible to perform kinematical analysis of 10 out of 18 events. The masses and relative velocities of the reaction products, determined in this analysis were compared with theoretical prediction based on double sequential fission process. An agreement within one standard deviation with respect to theoretical v alues has been found for eight analysed events.