Influence of collective surface motion on the threshold behavior of nuclear fusion

Fusion excitation functions for the systems /sup 40/Ar+ /sup 112,116,122/ Sn and /sup 40/Ar+ /sup 144,148,154/ Sm have been determined, covering cross sections ranging from several hundred millibarns down to the microbarn level. The data are interpreted with a fusion model that includes fluctuations of the barrier with an amplitude that is shown to be correlated with the collective surface properties of the nuclei. There is no need to assume an additional enhanced tunneling process.