Fission Modes ofPu24294

The neutron induced fission of ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{241}$ (${\mathrm{Pu}}^{241}+n_{\mathrm{th}}={\mathrm{Pu}}^{242*}$) and the spontaneous fission of ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{242}$ were studied by using a back-to-back ionization chamber. The two processes were found to be asymmetric and essentially identical. The most probable values of the mass ratio and total fragment kinetic energy were measured to be 1.38 and 174 Mev, respectively. The experimental results are compared with those from other fission processes and with existing theory.