Fission processes through compact and creviced shapes

Using a one-parameter family of compact and creviced shapes the authors have calculated the deformation energy of the liquid-drop model and included the nuclear proximity energy. The introduction of the proximity forces on such a shape sequence leads to the identification of fission and scission barriers since the rupture of the neck between the fragments is assumed before the barrier is crossed. The fission barrier heights are well reproduced and are much lower than those given by the liquid-drop model (without proximity) for the medium systems. The authors show that these low barriers are compatible with a strong enhancement of the critical angular momentum for cold fission. The translational kinetic energy of the fragments agrees with experimental data. Double-humped barriers are predicted for actinides; the inner barrier has essentially a microscopic origin while the outer one (which plays the role of a scission barrier) is governed mostly by the balance between coulomb and nuclear forces.