From first to second minimum: Parity-dependent level densities in $^{240,242}$Pu
Nuclear Theory
2026-01-29 v1
Abstract
We calculate the parity-dependent level density ratios for Pu across a broad range of quadrupole deformations, from the spherical configuration up to the superdeformed region, explicitly including both the ground-state minimum and the second minimum (fission isomer). The parity-equilibration energy, defined as the excitation energy at which positive- and negative-parity level densities approach equilibrium, is compared between configurations. A significant reduction is observed near the second minimum, indicating a faster equilibration process in this region.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.20329,
title = {From first to second minimum: Parity-dependent level densities in $^{240,242}$Pu},
author = {A. Rahmatinejad and T. M. Shneidman and N. Jovancevic},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.20329},
year = {2026}
}