A research team from Chalmers University of Technology recently explored the process of nuclear fission in 100 nuclei and published its findings in Nature. With a thorough study that investigated areas of nuclear fission research never fully explored before, the scientists aimed to understand how and why the fission — or splitting — of certain nuclei resulted in an uneven weight distribution between the two fragments.

“Since this study has given us access to fission data of many more nuclei, the picture has really changed, and we have now a better understanding of how nuclear shells influence nuclear fission,” explained the team’s Andreas Heinz.

Fission-based power is still a work in progress, and while the splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus releases massive amounts of energy, the breadth of our nuclear energy research remains relatively limited. According to the university report, the Chalmers researchers sought to contribute one more piece of the puzzle: the fact that the shell structures of various nuclei seemed to link to the uneven output of the fission process. To establish the pattern, they tested a wide series of “exotic nuclei,” or nuclei with unusually large proton-neutron differences.

“Our dataset will help constrain the fission models used to estimate the fission properties of nuclei with extreme neutron-to-proton ratios for which experimental data are unavailable,” the team noted in its study.

Finding new ways to manipulate and harness the energy released from the splitting of atoms can provide a clean power source that doesn’t rely on the planet-warming combustion of fossil fuels. While other renewable energy sources have made massive strides scientifically and commercially, sources such as wind and solar can’t compare to the vast amounts of energy that nuclear power promises. 

If advancements continue to develop, nuclear power may prove to be a competitive energy source in the long run, driving prices down with its high efficiency and consistency. With more and more ever-improving alternatives to fossil fuels emerging, we can hope to reduce our global carbon pollution and its corresponding impact on our weather, basic needs, and health.

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