Confirmation of the superdeformed band in192Pb

High-spin states in¹⁹²Pb were populated via the reaction¹⁷³Yb(²⁴Mg,5n) at a beam energy of 140 MeV, and the resulting-rays were deteced using GAMMASPHERE. A previously observed superdeformed band in¹⁹²Pb has been confirmed.     

Characterization of the superdeformed band in189Hg

New measurements of the pionic double charge exchange on⁵⁶Fe exhibit a pronounced energy dependence of this reaction at low energies in accordance with similar observations on other nuclei. We show that this peculiar energy dependence finds its natural explanation by a resonance in theNN subsystem withJ ^p =0^–,T=0 and a mass of 2.065 GeV.This work has been funded by the German Federal Minister for Research and Technology (BMFT) under the contract numbers 06 TÜ 656 and 06 KA 266 and by the DFG (Mu 704/3, Graduiertenkolleg)     

Observation of a superdeformed band in192Pb

A new superdeformed band, identified in data from the²⁴Mg+¹⁷³Yb reaction, is assigned to¹⁹²Pb on the basis of excitation function and coincidence results. Properties of this band are discussed briefly, and compared to the superdeformed bands known in other Pb nuclei.     

New results on the superdeformed 196Pb nucleus: decay of the excited bands to the yrast band

The study of the superdeformed ¹⁹⁶Pb nucleus has been revisited using the EUROGAMphase 2 array. In addition to the known yrast and two excited SD bands, a third excited SD band has been found. All of the three excited bands were found to decay to the yrast SD band through presumably E1 transitions. Comparisons with calculations using RPAapproximation indicate that the excited bands can be interpreted as octupole-vibrational structures.     

Observation of superdeformed bands in194Hg

Two rotational bands, with energy spacings characteristic of superdeformed shapes, have been observed following bombardment of¹⁵⁰Nd with⁴⁸Ca. The more intensively populated band consists of 18 transitions and is assigned to¹⁹⁴Hg. The depopulation of this band occurs around spin 10. The second band, consisting of at least 16 transitions, was populated less strongly and is tentatively assigned to¹⁹⁴Hg also. The lowest level in this band is assigned spin 8. The energy differences between transitions for both bands decrease from ～40 keV at low rotational frequencies to ～30 keV at the highest observed frequencies. The moments of inertia of the bands are similar to those of the two previously observed superdeformed bands in^191,192Hg. The similarities and differences of the four known bands in the mercury region are discussed.     

A superdeformed band in131Ce

A rotational band of 16γ-rays has been found in¹³¹Ce with a high moment of inertia indicating a deformation ε₂～0.38 and extending to spin ～40?. Its intensity is ～～5% of the total in¹³¹Ce, confirming a difference in the intensity systematics for superdeformed states in Ce nuclei compared with Nd.     

Excited superdeformed band in146Gd

A non-yrast superdeformed band has been found in¹⁴⁶Gd using the¹¹⁰Pd(⁴⁰Ar, 4n)¹⁴⁶Gd reaction. The nuclear assignment was made from the analysis of an experiment using a backed target. This band and the previously identified yrast SD band are probably not signature partners.     

First triaxial superdeformed band in 170Hf

First evidence is presented for triaxial superdeformation in ¹⁷⁰Hf. High-spin states in this nucleus have been investigated in a γ-ray coincidence measurement using the EUROBALL spectrometer array. A new band was discovered which has moments of inertia that are very similar to the ones of triaxial superdeformed bands in neighbouring Hf and Lu nuclei. The intensities with which these bands are populated are different from what may be expected from calculated potential-energy minima. Received: 11 September 2002 / Accepted: 15 October 2002 / Published online: 10 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: neusser@iskp.uni-bonn.de Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Single-step link of the superdeformed band in 143Eu

A discrete γ-ray transition with an energy of 3360.6 keV deexciting the second lowest SD state in ¹⁴³ Eu has been discovered. It carries 3.2 % of the full intensity of the band and feeds into a nearly spherical state which is above the I = 35/2⁽⁺⁾, E_x=4947 keV level. The exact placement of the single-step link is, however, not established due to the specially complicated level scheme in the region of interest. The energy of the single-step link agrees well with the previously determined two-step links.     

γ-Rays draining the superdeformed band in152Dy

Further analysis of earlier¹⁵²Gd(α,4n) in-beam data revealed several previously unplaced¹⁵²Dy γ-rays feeding the oblate yrast states, among them γ-transitions emitted in decay of the superdeformed band. We can also weakly detect the lowest two members of the superdeformed cascade, but our data were not quite good enough to make a firm connection to them.     

Single-step link of the superdeformed band in143Eu

²⁰⁹Fr has been produced by irradiation of¹⁹⁷Au with¹⁶O,and studied using a He-jet recoil tape transport system.A decay scheme is proposed for the first time,based on X-γ and γ-γ coincidence measurements,which takes account of 20 observed γ-rays. The branching ratio for (EC+β ⁺) decay of²⁰⁹Fr has been estimated to be 3.0±1.5%. Five members of low-lying states in²⁰⁹Rn can be explained with the configuration [(²¹⁰Rn 2⁺)(νf5/2)^?1].