γdecay of the superdeformed shape isomer inU236

Using the Heidelberg-Darmstadt Crystal Ball spectrometer the γ decay of the superdeformed shape isomer in ${}_{}{}^{236}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{U}$ has been investigated employing the ${}_{}{}^{235}{}_{}{}^{}$U(d,p) reaction at 11 MeV. The isomer was isolated by requiring that the prompt and delayed γ sum energy add up to the initial excitation energy of ${}_{}{}^{236}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{U}$ as determined from the energy of the recoiling proton. The shape isomer was found to have an excitation energy of E${(0\mathrm{}}_{\mathrm{II}{}^{+})=2.75\mathrm{}\pm 0.01}$ MeV and to decay by four different γ transitions in competition with its well known fission mode. The corresponding branching ratio of γ decay to fission was determined to be ${\Gamma }_{F\gamma }$/${\Gamma }_{\mathrm{Ff}}$=8±3, thus resolving the long-standing problem of the missing γ decay branch.