  A dynamical study of the decay of a metastable state by quantum tunneling
through an anisotropic, non separable, two-dimensional potential barrier is
performed by the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation.
Initial quasi- stationary proton states are chosen in the framework of a
deformed Woods-Saxon single-particle model. The decay of two sets of states
corresponding to true and quasi levels-crossing is studied and the evolution of
their decay properties as a function of nuclear deformation is calculated
around the crossing point. The results show that the investigation of the
proton decay from metastable states in deformed nuclei can unambiguously
distinguish between the two types of crossing and determine the structure of
the nuclear states involved.
