Identical bands: two steps forward

The identical bands phenomenon has been studied in detail both experimentally and theoretically. A first step has been done by analysing the distributions of the fractional changes in the dynamical moments of inertia of superdeformed nuclei. They showthat there is a clear excess of identical bands in superdeformed nuclei compared to normally-deformed nuclei at low spin. Furthermore, this difference can be traced back to some special properties of superdeformed bands. The second step consists in the precise lifetime measurements that have been performed in superdeformed nuclei of the rare earth region. The derived quadrupole moments support the picture that alignments and deformation effects cancel in identical bands.