Nuclear quasi-molecular states in ternary fission

A three-centre phenomenological model, able to explain qualitatively the re cently obtained experimental results concerning the quasimolecular stage of a light-particle accompanied fission process, was developed. A new minimum of a short-lived molecular state appears in the deformation energy at a se paration distance very close to the touching point. The influence of the sh ell effects is discussed. The half-lives of some quasimolecular states whic h could be formed in the Be-10 and C-12 accompanied fission of Cf-252 are r oughly estimated to be the order of 1 ns, and 1 ms, respectively.