Study of heavy nuclei at FLNR (Dubna)

Experiments are described and main results presented on the synthesis and decay properties of superheavy nuclides, produced in fusion reactions induced by a 48Ca-beam on heavy actinide targets. In such reactions neutron-rich nuclei are formed. For them, according to theory, an abrupt enhancement of stability due to nuclear shell effects is expected. The decay properties of the new nuclides are compared with calculations of theoretical models, which predict the existence of “islands of stability” in the region of hypothetical superheavy elements