In-beam spectroscopy of heavy elements

Traditionally the experimental study of heavy and superheavy elements has belonged to the realm of decay spectroscopy and nuclear reactions. Only in the past twenty years or so has it become feasible to study nuclei with Z = 96 and beyond with in-beam spectroscopic techniques. Since the pioneering studies in the late 1990s, development of both instrumentation and experimental techniques has resulted in a significant lowering of the spectroscopic limit for in-beam measurements. Such measurements give access to a wide range of nuclear structure observables which in general are beyond the reach of other techniques. The current review aims to present the most recent developments and results in the field, building upon previous reviews with a similar theme. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.