Cluster decay

Nuclear physics

Nucleus Nucleons p n Nuclear matter Nuclear force Nuclear structure Nuclear reaction
Models of the nucleus Liquid drop Nuclear shell model Interacting boson model Ab initio
Nuclides' classification Isotopes – equal Z Isobars – equal A Isotones – equal N Isodiaphers – equal N − Z Isomers – equal all the above Mirror nuclei – Z ↔ N Stable Magic Even/odd Halo Borromean
Nuclear stability Binding energy p–n ratio Drip line Island of stability Valley of stability Stable nuclide
Radioactive decay Alpha α Beta β 2β 0v β⁺ K/L capture Isomeric Gamma γ Internal conversion Spontaneous fission Cluster decay Neutron emission Proton emission Decay energy Decay chain Decay product Radiogenic nuclide
Nuclear fission Spontaneous Products pair breaking Photofission
Capturing processes electron 2× neutron s r proton p rp
High-energy processes Spallation by cosmic ray Photodisintegration
Nucleosynthesis and nuclear astrophysics Nuclear fusion Processes: Stellar Big Bang Supernova Nuclides: Primordial Cosmogenic Artificial
High-energy nuclear physics Quark–gluon plasma RHIC LHC
Scientists Alvarez Becquerel Bethe Blackett A. Bohr N. Bohr Chadwick Cockcroft Ir. Curie Fr. Curie Pi. Curie Skłodowska-Curie Davisson Fermi Hahn Jensen Lawrence Mayer Meitner Oliphant Oppenheimer Proca Purcell Rabi Rutherford Soddy Strassmann Świątecki Szilárd Teller Thomson Walton Wigner
Physics portal Category

Cluster decay, also known as heavy particle radioactivity, is a rare type of radioactive decay in which an unstable atomic nucleus emits a small cluster of protons and neutrons, that is to say an atomic nucleus. The emitted nucleus (cluster) is larger than an alpha particle (a ⁴
₂He nucleus) which has two protons and two neutrons), but is smaller than the typical fragments produced in spontaneous fission. In a nuclear fission process, the masses of the two nuclei that emerge are usually relatively close to one another.

The cluster decay process is a way for a heavy, unstable atom to become more stable. For example, an atom of ²²³
₈₈Ra can emit a ¹⁴
₆C nucleus (which contains 6 protons and 8 neutrons) and transform into a more stable ²⁰⁹
₈₂Pb atom.

Cluster decay was theoretically predicted in 1980 by Aureliu Săndulescu, Dorin N. Poenaru, and Walter Greiner, and was first experimentally confirmed in 1984 by H. J. Rose and G. A. Jones.