For reasonable shapes {α} described by a set of dimensionless deformation parameters the liquid drop deformation energy BDef exhibits a barrier for each value of the fissility x, cf. Eq. (1.75), for instance the configuration of two tangent spheres for x = 0 and a single sphere for x = 1. The deformation energy at the saddle deformation {\( \hat \alpha \)} is called BBar(x, \( \hat \alpha \)) and corresponds, if multiplied by Eg, to the LDM fission barrier height. The symbol ξ is sometimes also used for BBar instance in [Wilets 64].