title: How to measure the spreading width for the decay of superdeformed nuclei.
abstract: A new expression for the branching ratio for the decay via the E1 process in the normal-deformed band of superdeformed nuclei is given within a simple two-level model. Using this expression, the spreading or tunneling width gamma (downward arrow) for superdeformed decay can be expressed entirely in terms of experimentally known quantities. We show how to determine the tunneling matrix element V from the measured value of gamma (downward arrow) and a statistical model of the energy levels. The accuracy of the two-level approximation is verified by considering the effects of the other normal-deformed states.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, P.O. Box 210081, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cardamone
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Barrett