Spontaneous fission properties of superheavy elements

Spontaneous fission properties of transuranium isotopes are reviewed. Specific emphasis was laid on brief historical overviews of theoretical descriptions and experimental determination of basic properties as spontaneous fission half-lives, fission barriers, or total kinetic energy release in fission. Experimental spontaneous fission half-lives are compared with the results of recent theoretical predictions. Hindrance factors for spontaneous fission of odd-mass nuclei are discussed in context with the configuration (spin, parity) of the fissioning states and the change in energy of single particle levels at deformation. Kinetic energy release and mass distributions are discussed in the context of different fission modes, as symmetric and asymmetric or fission from elongated or compact shapes of the nascent fission fragments. An overview of recent fission barrier calculations of superheavy elements on the basis of macroscopic-microscopic models or self-consistent calculations is given, and the results are compared for selected examples.