Scarring effects on tunneling in chaotic double-well potentials - art. no.016204

The connection between scarring and tunneling in chaotic double-well potent ials is studied in detail through the distribution of level splittings. The mean level splitting is found to have oscillations as a function of energy , as expected if scarring plays a role in determining the size of the split tings, and the spacing between peaks is observed to be periodic of period 2 pi(h) over bar in action. Moreover, the size of the oscillations is direct ly correlated with the strength of scarring. These results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of Creagh and Whelan. The semiclassical li mit and finite-(h) over bar effects are discussed, and connections are made with reaction rates and resonance widths in metastable wells.