LEVEL DENSITY-DEPENDENCE OF THE TRANSIENT STATES ON THE NUCLEAR SHAPESYMMETRY IN FISSIONABLE NUCLEI

We investigate the dependence of the level density in the second poten tial well on the nuclear shape symmetry for actinide nuclei. We compar e statistical theory calculations with the experimental results deduce d by observing the fission times of Pa and Np isotopes. In the weak-co upling approximation of the two classes of excited states we find that the level density in the second well, higher than the one in the firs t well, is related to a symmetry breakdown of the nuclear shape of the second saddle point.