The nuclear density of states in the space of nuclear shapes

The density of states for the nuclear shape degrees of freedom are calculated in the Fermi gas model. For quadrupole deformations, the resulting formulas agree well with the properties of the deformed excited states of ¹⁶O and ⁴⁰Ca. Application is also made to the inertia associated with the deformation coordinate. The inertia turns out to be much smaller than given by the weak coupling limit.