Vibrational resonances below 5 MeV in the fission of 240Pu

Using the ²³⁹Pu(d, pf) reaction, the next lower K^π = 0⁺ vibrational resonance below 5 MeV in the deformed potential of ²⁴⁰Pu was located at 4.55 MeV. The resultant spacing of fission vibrations near 5 MeV in the second minimum is 500 keV. A resonance at 4.70 MeV is interpreted as the K^π = 0^? vibration coupled to the 4.55 MeV K^π = 0⁺ state, which yields E(K^π = 0^?) = 150 keV relative to the ground state of the second minimum.