Level density and level density parameter in medium heavy nuclei including thermal and quantal fluctuation effects

In a realistic application of the SPA + RPA theory for calculation of the nuclear level densities we find that quantal fluctuation corrections (RPA) are important even up to temperature $T = 2.0 MeV$. This leads to a good agreement between calculated numbers and the available experimental data for $^{104}Pd$ and $^{114}Sn$, particularly the excitation energy ($E^*$) dependence. Furthermore, we also argue that $a=S^2/4E^*$ is the only correct definition of the level density parameter in the present context which is also consistent with the Bethe like level density formula.