Affiliate disclosure

Book titles on this page link to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, DataField.Dev earns from qualifying purchases — at no additional cost to you.

Chapter 11 Further Reading

Review Articles and Surveys

Foundational Reviews

  • S. Hofmann and G. Münzenberg, "The Discovery of the Heaviest Elements," Reviews of Modern Physics 72, 733-767 (2000). The definitive review of cold fusion synthesis at GSI. Covers elements 107-112 with full experimental detail, cross-section systematics, and identification methodology. Essential reading for understanding the cold fusion approach.

  • Yu. Ts. Oganessian, "Heaviest Nuclei from $^{48}$Ca-Induced Reactions," Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics 34, R165-R242 (2007). Comprehensive review by the leader of the Dubna program covering elements 112-118 via hot fusion with $^{48}$Ca. Includes detailed decay chains, cross-section data, and comparison to theoretical predictions.

  • Yu. Ts. Oganessian and V. K. Utyonkov, "Super-heavy element research," Reports on Progress in Physics 78, 036301 (2015). Updated review of the Dubna program through the confirmation of elements 113-118. Discusses the evidence for the island of stability and future prospects.

Modern Surveys

  • S. Hofmann, "Synthesis of Superheavy Elements by Cold Fusion," Radiochimica Acta 99, 405-428 (2011). Sigurd Hofmann's own account of the GSI program, including insights into the experimental methodology and the evolution of cold fusion cross sections with Z.

  • Ch. E. Düllmann, "Superheavy elements at GSI: a broad research program with element 114 in the focus of physics and chemistry," Radiochimica Acta 100, 431-446 (2012). Overview of the GSI program's transition from discovery to chemical characterization, with emphasis on first chemistry experiments on flerovium.

  • K. Morita et al., "New Result in the Production and Decay of an Isotope, $^{278}$113, of the 113th Element," Journal of the Physical Society of Japan 81, 103201 (2012). The publication reporting RIKEN's third and decisive event for element 113, which led to the discovery credit and the naming of nihonium.

Theory

Shell Structure and the Island of Stability

  • A. Sobiczewski, F. A. Gareev, and B. N. Kalinkin, "Closed shells for Z > 82 and N > 126 in a diffuse potential well," Physics Letters 22, 500-502 (1966). One of the original predictions of superheavy magic numbers Z = 114, N = 184. A landmark paper in nuclear structure theory.

  • V. M. Strutinsky, "Shell effects in nuclear masses and deformation energies," Nuclear Physics A 95, 420-442 (1967). The paper that introduced the Strutinsky shell correction method, which remains the standard tool for calculating fission barriers of heavy and superheavy nuclei.

  • A. Sobiczewski and K. Pomorski, "Description of structure and properties of superheavy nuclei," Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics 58, 292-349 (2007). Modern review of macroscopic-microscopic calculations for superheavy nuclei, including predicted shell correction energies, fission barriers, and half-lives.

  • M. Bender, P.-H. Heenen, and P.-G. Reinhard, "Self-consistent mean-field models for nuclear structure," Reviews of Modern Physics 75, 121-180 (2003). Comprehensive review of Skyrme-Hartree-Fock and relativistic mean-field approaches. Discusses the disagreement between different models on the superheavy proton magic number (Z = 114 vs. 120).

  • P. Ring, "Relativistic Mean Field Theory in Finite Nuclei," Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics 37, 193-263 (1996). Introduction to the relativistic mean-field framework, which predicts Z = 120 (rather than 114) as the proton shell closure in the superheavy region.

Fission Barriers

  • P. Möller, A. J. Sierk, T. Ichikawa, and H. Sagawa, "Nuclear ground-state masses and deformations: FRDM(2012)," Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables 109-110, 1-204 (2016). The latest Finite Range Droplet Model mass table, which includes predicted ground-state masses, deformations, and fission barriers for superheavy nuclei.

Superheavy Element Chemistry

  • M. Schädel, "Chemistry of Superheavy Elements," Angewandte Chemie International Edition 45, 368-401 (2006). Broad review of atom-at-a-time chemistry experiments on transactinide elements, covering gas-phase and liquid-phase chromatography techniques.

  • A. Türler and V. Pershina, "Advances in the Production and Chemistry of the Heaviest Elements," Chemical Reviews 113, 1237-1312 (2013). Comprehensive and authoritative review covering both production methods and chemical characterization of superheavy elements through Z = 114.

  • P. Schwerdtfeger, L. F. Pašteka, A. Punnett, and P. O. Bowman, "Relativistic and quantum electrodynamic effects in superheavy elements," Nuclear Physics A 944, 551-577 (2015). Detailed treatment of relativistic effects on the electronic structure and chemical properties of superheavy elements.

  • P. Jerabek, B. Schuetrumpf, P. Schwerdtfeger, and W. Nazarewicz, "Electron and Nucleon Localization Functions of Oganesson: Approaching the Thomas-Fermi Limit," Physical Review Letters 120, 053001 (2018). The paper demonstrating that oganesson's electron density approaches the Thomas-Fermi (homogeneous electron gas) limit, with smeared-out shell structure. A remarkable result.

  • J. T. Smits, O. R. Smits, and P. Schwerdtfeger, "Properties of Oganesson-286 from Relativistic Coupled-Cluster Theory," Physical Review Letters (2020, in press at time of review). Predictions for solid-state oganesson, including the semiconductor band gap.

  • K. Chapman, Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table (Bloomsbury Sigma, 2019). Accessible popular science account of the superheavy element story, with vivid portraits of the key experimentalists. An excellent entry point for general readers.

  • P. Armbruster and G. Münzenberg, "Creating Superheavy Elements," Scientific American 260, 66-72 (1989). The GSI leaders explain the cold fusion method for a general audience.

  • Yu. Ts. Oganessian, "Super-heavy elements," Pure and Applied Chemistry 78, 889-904 (2006). Oganessian's own summary of the Dubna program, written for a broad scientific audience.

Nuclear Data Resources

  • NUBASE2020 evaluation: Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020) and nuclear property compilation. Available at https://www-nds.iaea.org/amdc/. Contains the latest evaluated masses, half-lives, and decay modes for all known nuclei including superheavy elements.

  • National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC), Brookhaven National Laboratory: https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/. Interactive chart of nuclides with searchable decay data. An essential tool for exploring superheavy element properties.

  • IUPAC reports on element discoveries: The Joint Working Party reports that evaluate discovery claims and assign element names. Available through IUPAC's Pure and Applied Chemistry journal.

Suggested Reading Paths

For students interested in the experimental side: Start with Hofmann & Münzenberg (2000), then Oganessian (2007), then Morita et al. (2012). This traces the evolution from cold to hot fusion and the RIKEN contribution.

For students interested in theory: Start with Strutinsky (1967), then Sobiczewski & Pomorski (2007), then Bender, Heenen & Reinhard (2003). This covers the Strutinsky method, macroscopic-microscopic models, and self-consistent mean-field approaches.

For students interested in chemistry: Start with Schädel (2006), then Türler & Pershina (2013), then Jerabek et al. (2018). This covers atom-at-a-time chemistry and the relativistic effects that make superheavy chemistry unique.

For a general overview: Chapman's Superheavy (2019) is highly recommended as a readable and accurate popular account.