Role of shape dependence of dissipation on nuclear fission

Abstract

We examine the validity of extending Kramers' expression for fission width to systems with shape-dependent dissipations. For a system with a shape-dependent dissipation, Kramers' width obtained with the presaddle dissipation strength is found to be different from the stationary width obtained from the corresponding Langevin equations. It is demonstrated that the probability of a hot compound nucleus undergoing fission depends on both the presaddle and the postsaddle dynamics of collective nuclear motion. The predictions for prescission neutron multiplicity and evaporation residue cross section from statistical model calculations are also found to be different from those obtained from Langevin dynamical calculations when a shape-dependent dissipation is considered. For systems with shape-dependent dissipations, we conclude that the strength of ``presaddle dissipation'' determined by fitting experimental data in statistical model calculations does not represent the true strength of presaddle dissipation.