New outlook on the possible existence of superheavy elements in nature

A consistent interpretation is given to some previously unexplained phenomena seen in nature in terms of the recently discovered long-lived high-spin super- and hyperdeformed isomeric states. The Po halos seen in mica are interpreted as being due to the existence of such isomeric states in corresponding Po or nearby nuclei that eventually decay by gamma or beta decay to the ground states of Po-210, Po-214, and Po-218 nuclei. The low-energy 4.5-MeV alpha-particle group observed in several minerals is interpreted as being due to a very enhanced alpha transition from the third minimum of the potential-energy surface in a superheavy nucleus with atomic number Z = 108 (Hs) and atomic mass number around 271 to the corresponding minimum in the daughter. (C) 2003 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica.