Loss of memory of target nucleus deformation axis in heavy-ion fusion-fission - art. no. 024615

Fission fragment cross sections and angular anisotropies have been measured to high accuracy following fusion of (16O) with the strongly deformed nucl eus W-182, at, bombarding energies spanning the fusion barrier region. Toge ther with existing evaporation residue data, they show that at all the beam energies, the statistical transition state model adequately describes the fission properties measured. No significant evidence was found for a memory of the different configurations at fusion resulting from the target nucleu s deformation, in contrast with previous measurements for deformed actinide nuclei.