Search

We present the first experimental evidence of the scissors mode in the superheavy nucleus 254No produced in the 208Pb(48Ca, 2 n γ))254No reaction. The spectrum of γ rays emitted by the excited 254No nuclei shows an enhanced γ -ray yield for transition energies of ≈2.5 MeV. By measuring the linear polarization properties of the emitted γ rays, we confirm that the transitions in the enhancement region are predominantly of magnetic-dipole character, characteristic for the scissors mode. To further characterize the enhanced γ -ray yield, simulations of the electromagnetic decay of 254No were performed. The observed enhancement is reproduced by including an M 1 component in the γ strength function with total strength B (M 1 ↑) = 11.8 (19) μ N 2. This is in good agreement with the integrated M 1 strength from sum-rule estimates and new calculations within the quasi-particle random-phase approximation presented here. Our results provide a stringent test of phenomenological formulae for the scissors mode currently used in stellar nucleosynthesis calculations. We find that those formulae are not satisfactory, and we recommend using sum-rule estimates assuming a rigid-body moment of inertia instead for describing the scissors mode in superheavy nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-spin states in 196Pb have been populated in two different heavy-ion-induced reactions using thin and Au-backed targets, respectively. Gamma-ray coincidences were measured using the EUROBALL spectrometer array. Five new magnetic-rotational bands have been found. The previously known four bands have been extended and some of their levels have been reordered. With one exception, all the bands have been connected to lower-lying states and excitation energies, spins and parities have been determined. From the systematic properties of the bands and from comparison to tilted-axis cranking calculations, arguments for configuration assignments to the bands are derived. It is suggested that the bands are based on proton 11− and 8+ particle states coupled to various neutron–hole excitations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]