The measured branching ratios for the decays of ${}_{}{}^{222,223,224}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ra}$ by alpha or ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ emissions can be accounted for within a factor of 10 in terms of the ratios of Gamow penetrabilities through potential-energy barriers consisting of a Coulomb repulsion, the nuclear proximity attraction, and an interpolation between the configuration of tangent fragments and the configuration of the parent nucleus.

• Received 4 October 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.300