Calculations based on the rotational liquid-drop model including the nuclear proximity energy and using a family of compact and creviced shapes predict the existence of hyperdeformed prolate states of β∼0.9 in a spin range of about (70–110)ħ for ${}_{}{}^{152}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Dy}$. These results are in good agreement with the recent observations at the Chalk River Laboratories of hyperdeformed shapes in ${}_{}{}^{152}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Dy}$ using p-γ-γ coincidence techniques. Such hyperdeformed states are predicted in the whole Periodic Table but for different spin regions.

• Received 5 October 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.47.1302