Search for two-phonon octupole excitations in 146Gd

J. N. Orce, M. Kumar Raju, N. A. Khumalo, T. S. Dinoko, P. Jones, R. A. Bark, E. A. Lawrie, S. N.T. Majola, L. M. Robledo, B. Rubio, M. Wiedeking, J. Easton, E. A. Khaleel, B. V. Kheswa, N. Kheswa, M. S. Herbert, J. J. Lawrie, P. L. Masiteng, M. R. Nchodu, J. NdayishimyeD. Negi, S. P. Noncolela, S. S. Ntshangase, P. Papka, D. G. Roux, O. Shirinda, P. S. Sithole, S. W. Yates

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The low-spin structure of the nearly spherical nucleus 146Gd was studied using the 144Sm(4He, 2n) fusion-evaporation reaction. High-statistics γ-γ coincidence measurements were performed at iThemba LABS with 7× 109γ-γ coincidence events recorded. Gated γ-ray energy spectra show evidence for the 6+ 2 → 3- 1 → 0+ 1 cascade of E3 transitions in agreement with recent findings by Caballero and co-workers, but with a smaller branching ratio of Iγ = 4.7(10) for the 6+ 2 → 3- 1 1905.1 keV γ ray. Although these findings may support octupole vibrations in spherical nuclei, sophisticated beyond mean-field calculations including angular-momentum projection are required to interpret in an appropriate way the available data due to the failure of the rotational model assumptions in this nucleus.

Original languageEnglish
Article number166
JournalEuropean Physical Journal A
Volume52
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2016
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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