High-Energy Alpha Particles and Tritons from the Spontaneous Fission of Californium-252

The energy spectra of alpha particles and tritons emitted in the spontaneous fission of californium-252 have been measured using an $E-\frac{\mathrm{dE}}{\mathrm{dx}}$ cesium iodide scintillator-proportional counter detector. The alpha-particle energy spectrum peaks at 16 Mev, with a full width at half maximum of about 15 Mev. The tritons peak at about 8 Mev, with a half-width of 7 Mev. One alpha particle is observed per 345±20 fission events, one triton per 4500±900 fission events.