High-spin states in 222Th

Levels to spin 16⁺ in the ground band and 17^? in the octupole band in ²²²Th have been identified using the reaction ²⁰⁸Pb(¹⁸O, 4n)²²²Th at 93 MeV. To suppress intense γ-ray background from fission a residue detector was built and operated in coincidence with the Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl) detectors. The apparent moment of inertia in the ground-state rotational band rises very rapidly with increasing spin, however, no indications of backbending were observed. The octupole band at low spin has an aligned angular momentum $\text{J ≈ 3}\text{h}\text{?}$ relative to the ground-state band. Strong cross-band E1 transitions competed with collective E2 transitions within each band. Analysis showed that the ratios $\text{B(}\text{E}\text{1)}\text{B(}\text{E}\text{2)}$ were within experimental uncertainty independent of both the spin and parity of the parent state.The average γ-ray multiplicity per cascade was measured for ²²²Th. The results were in reasonable agreement with the computer code ORNL-ALICE.     

Yrast levels of 220Ra populated in the 208Pb(14C, 2n) reaction

Yrast states in the nucleus ²²⁰Ra were studied by means of the ²⁰⁸Pb(¹⁴C, 2n) reaction at 61 and 64 MeV. A staggering sequence of levels of positive and negative parity has been observed up to spin and parity I^π = 16⁺ (18 ⁺) and from I^π = 5^? to I^π = 17^?, respectively. These states are connected by strong E1 transitions competing with the stretched E2 transitions, the $\text{B(}\text{E}\text{1)}\text{B(}\text{E}\text{2)}$ ratio being ~ 10 ^?6 fm^?2. The ratio of the excitation energy of the 4⁺ state to that of the 2⁺ state is close to the vibrational limit. The moment of inertia associated with the negative-parity yrast states is slightly increasing with the rotational frequency ω. It is considerably higher than that of the positive-parity states at lower spins, the difference decreasing monotonically with increasing ω. The data are discussed with reference to the octupole vibrational picture as well as to the results of recent models predicting reflection-asymmetric shapes in the Ra-Th region.     

Level structure of217Rn and221Ra investigated in the alpha-decay225Th →221Ra →217Rn

The nuclei²²¹Ra and²¹⁷Rn have been investigated in the α-decay chain²²⁵Th→²²¹Ra →²¹⁷Rn through γ-ray and conversion-electron studies. The short-lived²²⁵Th nuclei (T _1/2=8min) were produced in the²²⁶Ra(α, 5n) reaction, and γ-rays and conversion electrons were measured — between the irradiation periods — in coincidence with αparticles. In²²¹Ra the five lowest levels are interpreted as members of aK=5/2 paritydoublet with ΔE_π=104 keV. These levels, as well as a higher-lying K^π=3/2⁺ band, are consistent with an octupole deformation of²²¹Ra, as expected from theoretical considerations. In²¹⁷Rn only three excited levels are observed, with a favoured α-decay to a 5/2⁺ excited level thus establishing positive parity for the ground state of²²¹Ra.     

Investigation of224Ra in the226Ra(α, α′ 2n) reaction

Positive and negative parity bands have been followed up to 10⁺ (possibly 12⁺) and 11^? in²²⁴Ra and are compared to the corresponding bands in the isotone²²⁶Th. If a constant value of the intrinsic quadrupole moment is assumed for allE2 transitions in²²⁴Ra theE1/E2 branching ratios are consistent with an intrinsic dipole moment of ¦Q₁¦=0.032(3)e·fm. This small value, as compared to ¦Q₁¦=0.30(2)e·fm for²²⁶Th, can be explained by an almost complete cancellation of large positive liquid-drop and negative shell-model contributions.     

Boson description of nuclear collective motion

Nuclear system interacting via quadrupole and octupole particle-hole forces is studied by the boson expansion technique. Energy spectra of the negative parity yrast band and the ground state band are calculated and compared with experiment for¹⁰⁰Ru,¹¹²Cd,¹⁵⁰Sm and¹⁵⁰Gd. ExperimentalB(E1)/B(E2) ratios show strong hindrance for E1 transitions, and are used to deduce the static polarizability of E1 transitions.     

High-spin states in 218Ra

Yrast states in ²¹⁸Ra up to spin and parity I^π = 17^? were identifíed by means of the ²⁰⁸Pb(¹³C, 3n) reaction and standard γ-ray spectroscopic techniques. The level scheme is characterized by two bands of opposite parity with nearly constant level spacing. A cascade of strong E1 interband transitions connects both bands.The results are discussed within the systematics of the even Ra isotopes. The negative-parity band which is observed from the I^π = 5^? to the I^π = 17^? state, is interpreted as an octupole vibrational band. The level scheme can be well reproduced in the vibrational limit of the interacting boson approximation (IBA1) which fails, however, to explain the strong E1 feeding of the negative-parity band from the ground-state band     

Gamma-gamma directional correlations in69Ga

Employing a Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) detector system, gamma-gamma directional correlations for nine cascades in⁶⁹Ga have been measured. The result of the present measurements combined with other existing data allowed the adoption of a 5/2^? spin and parity for the 1106.4 keV level, and a 7/2^? for the 1 336.1 and 1487.5 keV levels. A tentative 7/2^? spin and parity has been adopted for 1923.1 keV level. Mixing ratios have been determined for six transitions. The data obtained are utilized to extractM1 andE2 reduced transition probabilities. A comparison of the experimental data is made with the predictions of the one particle-core and three particles-core coupling models.     

Spins of levels in41Ca from (d,pγ) angular correlations

Proton-gamma ray angular correlations are reported for the (d, p) reaction populating levels in⁴¹Ca withl _n=1. The method differs from previous measurements in that all observed gamma ray transitions from each level of interest are included in the correlation. A spin and parity of 3/2^? is deduced for the 1.943, 2.462, 4.187 and 4.604 MeV levels. The results for the 3.944 and 4.753 MeV levels are consistent with a spin and parity assignment of 1/2^?.     

Parity mixing in 19F and the weak parity non-conserving nucleon-nucleon interaction

We report calculations of the asymmetry of the 110 keV photon emitted in the decay of the polarized $\text{1}\text{2}$^? first excited state of ¹⁹F. The calculations employ short range correlations obtained by solving the Bethe-Goldstone equation in the A = 20 system, and are carried out for a wide range of weak parity non-conserving potentials suggested in the literature. Because of the large experimental error of the observed asymmetry, many of these potentials give results compatible with the experimental value. A calculation of the parity allowed E1 matrix element suggests that the standard Cabibbo potential gives results which disagree in sign with the observed asymmetry, which has also been the case in other parity non-conserving transitions.     

Structure of the Triplet of low-lying states in101Mo

The properties of the triplet of low-lying states in¹⁰¹Mo have been studied through spectroscopy of theγ radiation following thermal neutron capture in¹⁰⁰Mo and β^? decay of¹⁰¹Nb and through a measurement of the proton angular distributions in the¹⁰⁰Mo(d,p) reaction with 14 MeV deuteron energy. The half-lives of the 13.5 keV state and the 57.0 keV 5/2⁺ state have been measured as 226(7) and 133(7)ns, respectively. These values and the quadrupole/dipole mixing ratios of the 13.5 keV and 43.5 keV transitions yield spin and parity 3/2⁺ for the 13.5 keV level. The E2 components in the 13.5 (3/2⁺ →1/2⁺) and 43.5 keV (5/2⁺→3/2⁺) transitions are ≦ 8·10^?4 and 54(9)%, respectively. The possibility of an additional state near to the 57.0 keV level is discussed. IBFM/PTQM calculations, taking into consideration the transitional character of the¹⁰⁰Mo boson core, account for the electromagnetic-transition and transfer-reaction pattern of the triplet of states.     

The high pressure phase transitions in KF and RbF

The high pressure B1 ? B2 transitions in KF at ~ 40 kbar and RbF at ~ 30 kbar have been studied using hydrostatic X-ray diffraction. No other transitions have been observed. The addition of the $\text{ΔV}\text{V}$ for these transitions to the already existing body of literature on B1–B2 transitions in alkali halides permits an extension of Pauling's theory to larger values of radius ratios. It also permits the modified Born criterion for predicting phase transitions to be further verified. Values of ionic radii for 8 coordination we suggest are 1.33 Å for F^?, 1.84 Å for Cr^?, 2.00 Å for Br^? and 2.27 Å for I^?.     

Gamma rays from resonance neutron capture in 115In

Gamma rays in the range 5.4–6.7 MeV have been studied for 31 s-wave neutron resonances of ¹¹⁵In, selected by time of flight in the range 3–430 eV. In a subsidiary experiment, spin J = 5 has been assigned to 17 and J = 4 to 14 resonances by measuring intensity variations of some strong low-energy transitions. The reduced widths averaged over all initial states of the same spin have been estimated for 41 primary transitions: these values have provided information on the spin and parity of the corresponding ¹¹⁶In final states. Overall mean values of E1 and M1 radiative strength have been calculated. The width distribution has been fitted with a χ² function with ν = 1.10^+0.27_?0.09 degrees of freedom for M1 and ν = 1.42 ^{+ 0.014}_?0.08 for E1 radiation. An estimate of the spin cut-off parameter σ = 3.6_?0.4^{+ 0.8} has been derived. A non-statistical effect already evidenced in previous measurements has been confirmed, consisting of a strong modulation of the radiative strength against resonance energy, correlated also with the local neutron strength function. In addition, it has now been shown that this structure is due to E1 radiation only.     

Niveaux de 234Pa atteints par la désintégration de 234Th

The energy levels populated by β-decay of²³⁴Th have been investigated with two iron-free double focusing spectrometers and several Ge(Li) detectors. The decay scheme includes the following levels of^234mPa, denoted by _I, π and energy (in keV): 0^?(0), 2^?(29.49), 1^?(92.38), 1⁺(92.80), (1^?) (103.35), 1⁺(112.80) and (2⁺) (132.9). The negative parity levels have been analysed with the configuration $\text{p}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{|530↑〉 ?}\text{n}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{|631↑〉}$; it is necessary to include more than one configuration for the positive parity levels. An attempt has been made to explain the feeding of²³⁴Pa (UZ).     

Levels in 156Gd studied in the (n, γ) reaction

Levels up to 2.3 MeV in ¹⁵⁶Gd have been studied using the (n, γ) reaction. Energies and intensities of low-energy γ-rays and electrons emitted after thermal neutron capture have been measured with a curved-crystal spectrometer, Ge(Li) detectors and a magnetic electron spectrometer. High-energy (primary) γ-rays and electrons have been measured with Ge(Li) detectors and a magnetic spectrometer. The high-energy γ-ray spectrum has also been measured in thermal neutron capture in 2 keV resonance neutron capture. The neutron separation energy in ¹⁵⁶Gd was measured as S_n = 8535.8 ± 0.5 keV.About 600 transitions were observed of which ~50% could be placed in a level scheme containing more than 50 levels up to 2.3 MeV excitation energy. 42 of these levels were grouped into 15 excited bands. In addition to the β-band at 1050 keV we observe 0⁺ bands at 1168, 1715 and 1851 keV. Other positive-parity bands are: 1⁺ bands at 1966, 2027 and 2187 keV; 2⁺ bands at 1154 (γ-band) and 1828 keV; and 4⁺ bands at 1511 and 1861 keV. Negative-parity bands are observed at 1243 keV (1^?), 1366 keV (0^?), 1780 keV (2^?) and 2045 keV (4^?). Reduced E2 and E0 transition probabilities have been derived for many transitions. The ground band, the β- and γ-bands and the 0⁺ band at 1168 keV have been included in a phenomenological four-band mixing calculation, which reproduces well the experimental energies and E2 transition probabilities.The lowest three negative-parity (octupole) bands of which the 0^? and the 1^? bands are very strongly mixed, were included in a Coriolis-coupling analysis, which reproduces well the observed energies. The E1 transition probabilities to the ground band are also well reproduced, while those from the higher-lying 0⁺ bands to the octupole bands are not reproduced. Absolute and relative transition probabilities have been compared with predictions of the IBA model and the pairingplus-quadrupole model. Both models reproduce well the E2 transitions from the γ-band, while strong disagreements are found for the E2 transitions from the β-band. The IBA model predicts part of the decay features of the higher lying 2⁺₂, 4⁺₁ and 2^?₁ bands.     

On the coexistence of oblate and prolate deformed bands in83Zr

Deformation parameters of the positive parity yrast band and negative parity bands in⁸³Zr are deduced from lifetimes andE2/M1 mixing ratios. Lifetimes of high spin states have been determined from recoil distance Doppler shift and Doppler shift attenuation measurements using the⁵⁴Fe(³²S,2pnγ) ⁸³Zr reaction. Ten lifetimes and five lifetimes limits were determined. The positive parity band, built on theg _9/2 K=5/2 orbital has an average deformation ¦β ₂¦=0.28(2), and shows a reduction ofE2 transition strengths in the observed backbend region at I^π≈21/2⁺. In contrast, theE2 strengths in the negative parity states show a steady increase up to I^π≈=15/2^?. These states are more strongly deformed than the positive parity states (¦β ₂¦=0.33(3)). TheE2/M1 mixing ratios show that the negative parity band hasK=3/2 and is prolate, and favour oblate deformation for the positive parity yrast band. In theK=1/2^? band theE2 strength of the 7/2^?→3/2^? transition yields a deformation ¦β ₂¦=0.26(5). The band structure is compared with calculations within the Hartree-Fock Bogoliubov cranking model.     

Evidence for the two-body nature of theE1 transition operator in the sdf-interacting boson model

Two new absolute transition rates are reported for the nucleus¹⁴⁴Sm following an (α, α′) Coulomb excitation study. They are B(E3; 3^?→ 0⁺)=(38±3) W.u. and B(E1;3^? → 2⁺)=(2.8±0.4)×10^?3 W.u. This large E1 matrix element, along with the previously known B(E1; 1^? →⁺) value support the interpretation of the 1^? state in this nucleus as 2-phonon 2⁺ × 3^? excitation. In the frame of the IBM-1 +f-boson model we show the need for a two-body term in the E1 transition operator. Estimates for the strengths of the one and two-body parts of the E1 transition operator are obtained from these experimental data.     

Time distribution of γ-rays from spontaneous fission of 252Cf at short times

The gross time distribution of γ-rays from spontaneous fission of ²⁵²Cf has been measured in the time range 10^?14?10^?10 s after fission for γ-ray energies greater than 0.15 MeV. The measurements have been made by a new method based upon the solid angle aberration. From the measured correlation between half-lives and γ-ray transition energies it is concluded that the transitions are predominantly E2, single-particle transitions at high energies, and mostly vibrational and rotational transitions at lower energies. Some contribution of E1 transitions and M1-E2 mixtures cannot be excluded, however. It was found that about 30% ofthe γ-rays emitted within 12 ns with energies greater than 0.10 MeV, have half-lives shorter than 1 ps and about 52 % half-lives between 1 and 100 ps. The relative yield of γ -rays and γ-ray energy in the time range 10^?14 to 1.2 × 10^?7 s ater fission is given.     

Microscopic description of collective states near the yrast line of nuclei with stable octupole deformation

Collective states near the yrast line in nuclei with stable octupole deformation are discussed in the framework of the random phase approximation (RPA) based on the cranking model. These vibrational states are characterized by the quantum number of generalized signature (eigenvalue of the operator S_x = PR_x^?1(π)). In the zero-octupole deformation limit the RPA equations of motion are reduced to the well-known ones characterized by both values of parity and signature, respectively. The connection of the translational and rotational symmetry of the model hamiltonian with the spurious solutions of the RPA equation of motion is discussed. Expressions for the reduced probabilities B(E1), B(E2) and B(E3) are obtained. These expressions confirm the conclusions of phenomenological models for the strong E1 and E3 intraband transitions in nuclei with stable octupole deformation.     

Properties of the 2' and 2” states in 106, 112, 114Cd

Angular correlations have been measured between γ-rays from the 2 → 2 → 0 cascades in ^106,112,114Cd and the beam of 11.0 MeV α particles effecting Coulomb excitation. Multipole admixtures for the 2 → 2 transitions, as deduced from these correlations, when combined with earlier results establish their B(E2) and B(M1) values. For the transitions from the 1312 and 1208 keV states in ^112,114Cd the B(E2) values in single-particle units are 18±4 and 24±7. These values are typical for transitions from “two-quadrupole-phonon” states in this mass region whereas that of the 1718 keV transition in ¹⁰⁶Cd has the smaller value of 7.0±2.3. The B(E2) values of the 2 → 2 transitions in ^112,114Cd from the 1468 and 1363 keV states are < 0.3 single-particle units. The B(M1) values of all five transitions are ≈ 10^?2$\text{(}\text{e}\text{h}\text{?}\text{2Mc}\text{)}{}^2$.     

Observation of parity doublets in the odd-odd nucleus220Ac

Excited states of²²⁰Ac have been investigated by means of the²⁰⁹Bi(¹⁴C,3n) reaction and using the “Château de Cristal” gamma ray facility. The observation of bands with alternating parity states reveals the reflection asymmetric nuclear shape of²²⁰Ac. The extracted B(E1)/B(E2) ratios display a clear spin dependence.