The exotic nuclear decay of ${}^{230}\mathrm{U}$ by emission of heavy ions has been investigated by use of ${}^{230}\mathrm{Pa}$ $\stackrel{{\beta }^{-}}{\to }$ ${}^{230}\mathrm{U}$ sources and polyester track detectors. After a run of 248 d, two cases of decay via heavy ion emission, which were most probably for the neon decays of ${}^{230}\mathrm{U},$ were observed for the first time. The preliminary branching ratio for the emission of heavy ions relative to $\alpha$ particles from ${}^{230}\mathrm{U}$ comes out to be $(1.3\mathrm{}\pm 0.8)\times {10}^{-14}.$

• Received 24 April 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.62.044612