Dynamical effects on the way to fusion of very heavy nuclei

The central collision of ⁴⁰Ar and ²⁰⁸Pb is studied considering the ellipsoidal deformations and isovector dipole mode of motion in the approaching phase. The collective energy dissipation is suggested to originate from the Fermi surface deformation which is treated as a kinematically independent mode of motion within the canonical Lagrange-Rayleigh dynamics. The possible extensions of the approach are discussed. The potential energy surface, calculated using the generalized (folded) surface potential, is studied. The saddle point in the potential energy surface lying at the border of strongly deformed compact configurations is located. The potential energy at this point is about 10MeV smaller than that of the ions touching each other in the spherical shape. The examination of trajectories followed by the system in its evolution shows that the inertia forces strongly hinder the motion of ions along the potential energy valley. The collective energy dissipated during the approach is found to be smaller than the difference in the potential energies at saddle point and at the touching configuration of unpolarized ions.