Estimating Orbital Momenta of Binary-Fission Fragments

The mechanism for the appearance of large values of the relative orbital momenta L of the fragments of spontaneous nuclear fission is shown to be associated with quantum transverse wriggling vibrations of the fissile nucleus at its rupture point. This mechanism assumes that the fissile nucleus remains cold up to its rupture into fission fragments. Based on the considered mechanism, an analytical formula was derived for the first time to estimate the average value of the orbital momentum and the angular distribution of fission fragments. The results obtained are an important contribution to the understanding of nuclear fission, and have important significance in problems of heat release in nuclear reactors arising from the propagation of instantaneous gamma rays emitted by fission fragments.