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Non-yrast, excited states in neutron-rich $^{186}$W were populated via inelastic-scattering reactions using beams of $^{136}$Xe nuclei accelerated to 725 and 800 MeV. Levels populated in the reactions were investigated via particle-$ \gamma $ coincidence techniques using the Gammasphere array of High-Purity Germanium detectors and the compact heavy-ion counter, CHICO2. The $ K^{\pi} = 2 ^{+} $ ($\gamma$), $ K^{\pi} = 0^{+}$ and $ K^{\pi} = 2^{-} $ (octupole) rotational side bands were extended to spins $ 14\hbar $, $ 12\hbar $, and $ 13\hbar $, respectively. A staggering pattern observed in the energies of levels in the $ K^{\pi} = 2^{+} $ band was found to be consistent with a potential that gets softer to vibration in the $ \gamma $ degree of freedom with increasing spin. The odd-even staggering of states in the $ K^{\pi} = 2^{-}$ band was found to exhibit a phase opposite to that seen in the $ \gamma $ band; an effect most probably associated with Coriolis coupling to other, unobserved octupole vibrational bands in $^{186}$W., Comment: 14 pages, 16 figures

$^{111}$Ag and $^{113}$Ag were produced in induced fission reaction, where yrast and near-yrast states were populated. To interpret the new data the Interacting Boson-Fermion model was used. A good agreement with the experimental data is achieved, suggesting that the two Ag nuclei have a well developed collectivity, superimposed on $\pi g_{9/2}^{-3}$ excitations previously observed throughout the entire isotopic chain.

New positive-parity states, having a band-like structure, were observed in 105Ru. The nucleus was produced in induced fission reaction and the prompt gamma-rays, emitted from the fragments, were detected by the EUROBALL III multi-detector array. The partial scheme of excited 105Ru levels is analyzed within the Triaxial-Rotor-plus-Particle approach.

We have studied the fission-neutron emission competition in highly excited $^{274}$Hs (Z=108) (where the fission barrier is due to shell effects) formed by a hot fusion reaction. Matching cross bombardments ($^{26}$Mg + $^{248}$Cm and $^{25}$Mg + $^{248}$Cm) were used to identify the properties of first chance fission of $^{274}$Hs. A Harding-Farley analysis of the fission neutrons emitted in the $^{25,26}$Mg + $^{248}$Cm was performed to identify the pre- and post-scission components of the neutron multiplicities in each system. ($\Gamma$$_{n}$/$\Gamma$$_{t}$) for the first chance fission of $^{274}$Hs (E$^{\ast}$ = 63 MeV) is 0.89 $\pm$ 0.13, i.e., $\sim$ 90 $%$ of the highly excited nuclei survive.The high value of that survival probability is due to dissipative effects during de-excitation. A proper description of the survival probabilities of excited superheavy nuclei formed in hot fusion reactions requires consideration of both dynamic and static (shell-related) effects.

Background: The cross section for forming a heavy evaporation residue in fusion reactions depends on the capture cross section, the fusion probability, PCN, i.e., the probability that the projectile-target system will evolve inside the fission saddle point to form a completely fused system rather than re-separating (quasifission), and the survival of the completely fused system against fission. PCN is the least known of these quantities. Purpose: To measure PCN for the reaction of 101.2 MeV 18O, 147.3 MeV 26Mg, 170.9 MeV 30Si and 195.3 MeV 36S with 197Au. Methods: We measured the fission fragment angular distributions for these reactions and used the formalism of Back to deduce the fusion-fission and quasifission cross sections. From these quantities we deduced PCN for each reaction. Results: The values of PCN for the reaction of 101.2 MeV 18O, 147.3 MeV 26Mg, 170.9 MeV 30Si and 195.3 MeV 36S with 197Au are 0.66, 1.00, 0.06, 0.13, respectively. Conclusions: The new measured values of PCN agree roughly with the semi-empirical system- atic dependence of PCN upon fissility for excited nuclei.

The neutron-rich nuclei $^{109}$Pd and $^{111}$Pd were produced as fission fragments following the $^{30}$Si + $^{168}$Er reaction at 142 MeV. Using the identification based on the coincidences with the complementary fission fragments, the only positive-parity bands observed so far in $^{109}$Pd and $^{111}$Pd emerged from this work. A band, built on top of the 5/2$^+$ ground state exhibiting $\Delta I$ = 1 energy-level staggering, was observed in each of these nuclei. Both nuclei of interest, $^{109}$Pd and $^{111}$Pd, are suggested to lie in the transitional region of Pd isotopes of maximum $\gamma$-softness. The ground states of both nuclei are predicted by TRS calculations to be extremely $\gamma$-soft with shallow triaxial minima. The first crossing in the new bands is proposed to be due to an alignment of $h^2_{11/2}$ neutrons.

Lifetimes in the yrast bands of the nuclei $^{182,186}$Pt have been measured using the Doppler-shift Recoil Distance technique. The results in both cases {\em viz.} a sharp increase in B(E2) values at very low spins, may be interpreted as resulting from a mixing between two bands of different quadrupole deformations., Comment: 12 pages; 4 figures; submitted to PRC

The lifetime of the J=2+ state in 10C was measured using the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method following the inverse kinematics p(10B,n)10C reaction at 95 MeV. The 2+ state, at 3354 keV, has tau = 219\pm(7)stat \pm(10)sys fs corresponding to a B(E2) # of 8.8(3) e2fm4. This measurement,combined with that recently determined for 10Be (9.2(3) e2fm4), provides a unique challenge to abinitio calculations, testing the structure of these states, including the isospin symmetry of the wave functions. Quantum Monte Carlo calculations using realistic two- and three-nucleon Hamiltonians that reproduce the 10Be B(E2) value generally predict a larger 10C B(E2) probability but with considerable sensitivity to the admixture of different spatial symmetry components in the wave functions, and to the three-nucleon potential used., Comment: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation

In order to test {\it ab-initio} calculations of light nuclei, we have remeasured lifetimes in $^{10}$Be using the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method (DSAM) following the $^{7}$Li($^7$Li,$\alpha$)$^{10}$Be reaction at 8 and 10 MeV. The new experiments significantly reduce systematic uncertainties in the DSAM technique. The J$^{\pi}$ = $2^+_1$ state at 3.37 MeV has $\tau$ = 205${\pm}$(5)$_{stat}\pm$(7)$_{sys}$ fs corresponding to a $B$($E2\downarrow$) of 9.2(3) $e^2$fm$^4$ in broad agreement with many calculations. The J$^{\pi}$ = $2^+_2$ state at 5.96 MeV was found to have a $B$($E2\downarrow$) of 0.11(2) $e^2$fm$^4$ and provides a more discriminating test of nuclear models. New Green's Function Monte Carlo (GFMC) calculations for these states and transitions with a number of Hamiltonians are also reported and compared to experiment., Comment: 4 Pages

The expanded level structure of $^{240}$Pu available from the present study highlights the role of strong octupole correlations in this nucleus. Besides a delayed alignment in the yrast band, the observations include the presence of both $I^{+}{\to}(I-1)^{-}$ and $I^{-}{\to}(I-1)^{+}$ E1 transitions linking states of the yrast and negative-parity bands at high spin and the presence of an additional even-spin, positive-parity band deexciting exclusively to the negative parity sequence. The observations appear to be consistent with expectations based on the recently proposed concept of octupole phonon condensation., Comment: Accepted by Physical Review Letters on February 20, 2009

The Fragment Mass Analyzer at the ATLAS facility has been used to unambiguously identify the mass number associated with different decay modes of the nobelium isotopes produced via 204Pb(48Ca,xn)(252-x)No reactions. Isotopically pure (>99.7%) 204Pb targets were used to reduce background from more favored reactions on heavier lead isotopes. Two spontaneous fission half-lives (t_1/2 = 3.7+1.1-0.8 us and 43+22-15 us) were deduced from a total of 158 fission events. Both decays originate from 250No rather than from neighboring isotopes as previously suggested. The longer activity most likely corresponds to a K-isomer in this nucleus. No conclusive evidence for an alpha branch was observed, resulting in upper limits of 2.1% for the shorter lifetime and 3.4% for the longer activity., Comment: RevTex4, 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRC

The excitation energies and spins of the levels in the yrast superdeformed band of $^{191}$Hg have been determined from two single-step $\gamma$ transitions and the quasi-continuum spectrum connecting the superdeformed and normal-deformed states. The results are compared with those from theoretical mean-field calculations with different interactions. A discussion of pairing in superdeformed states is also included., Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures

Understanding the processes which create and destroy $^{22}$Na is important for diagnosing classical nova outbursts. Conventional $^{22}$Na(p,$\gamma$) studies are complicated by the need to employ radioactive targets. In contrast, we have formed the particle-unbound states of interest through the heavy-ion fusion reaction, $^{12}$C($^{12}$C,n)$^{23}$Mg and used the Gammasphere array to investigate their radiative decay branches. Detailed spectroscopy was possible and the $^{22}$Na(p,$\gamma$) reaction rate has been re-evaluated. New hydrodynamical calculations incorporating the upper and lower limits on the new rate suggest a reduction in the yield of $^{22}$Na with respect to previous estimates, implying a reduction in the maximum detectability distance for $^{22}$Na $\gamma$ rays from novae., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure

The cranked relativistic Hartree+Bogoliubov theory has been applied for a systematic study of the nuclei around 254No, the heaviest nuclei for which detailed spectroscopic data are available. The deformation, rotational response, pairing correlations, quasi-particle and other properties of these nuclei have been studied with different relativistic mean field (RMF) parametrizations. For the first time, the quasi-particle spectra of odd deformed nuclei have been calculated in a fully self-consistent way within the framework of the RMF theory. The energies of the spherical subshells, from which active deformed states of these nuclei emerge, are described with an accuracy better than 0.5 MeV for most of the subshells with the NL1 and NL3 parametrizations. However, for a few subshells the discrepancy reach 0.7-1.0 MeV. The implications of these results for the study of superheavy nuclei are discussed., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the Conference on Frontiers of Nuclear Structure, Berkeley, California, July 29th - August 2nd, 2002, UC Berkeley, Clark Kerr Campus, in press

The cranked relativistic Hartree+Bogoliubov theory has been applied for a systematic study of the nuclei around 254No, the heaviest elements for which detailed spectroscopic data are available. The deformation, rotational response, pairing correlations, quasi-particle and other properties of these nuclei have been studied with different parametrizations for the effective mean-field Lagrangian. Pairing correlations are taken into account by a finite range two-body force of Gogny type. While the deformation properties are well reproduced, the calculations reveal some deficiencies of the effective forces both in the particle-hole and particle-particle channels. For the first time, the quasi-particle spectra of odd deformed nuclei have been calculated in a fully self-consistent way within the framework of the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory. The energies of the spherical subshells, from which active deformed states of these nuclei emerge, are described with an accuracy better than 0.5 MeV for most of the subshells with the NL1 and NL3 parametrizations. However, for a few subshells the discrepancies reach 0.7-1.0 MeV. In very heavy systems, where the level density is high, this level of accuracy is not sufficient for reliable predictions of the location of relatively small deformed shell gaps. The calculated moments of inertia reveal only small sensitivity to the RMF parametrization and, thus, to differences in the single-particle structure. However, in contrast to lighter systems, it is necessary to decrease the strength of the D1S Gogny force in the pairing channel in order to reproduce the moments of inertia., Comment: 32 pages, 30 figures (Encapsulated Postscript), Revtex, uses epsf.sty, submitted to Physical Review C

Recent experimental observation of the direct links between superdeformed and normal-deformed structures in the A~190 mass region offers a unique information on the absolute nuclear binding energy in the 2:1 minima, and hence on the magnitude of shell effects in the superdeformed well. In the present paper, the self-consistent mean-field theory with density-dependent pairing interaction is used to explain at the same time the two-particle separation energies in the first and second wells, and the excitation energies of superdeformed states in the A~190 and A~240 mass regions., Comment: 13 RevTeX pages, 9 figures included, submitted to Physical Review C

Prompt, in-beam $\gamma$ rays following the reaction $^{170}$Yb + 142 MeV $^{28}$Si were measured at the ATLAS facility using 10 Compton-suppressed Ge detectors and the Fragment Mass Analyzer. Transitions in $^{194}$Po were identified and placed using $\gamma$-ray singles and coincidence data gated on the mass of the evaporation residues. A level spectrum up to J$\approx$10$\hbar$ was established. The structure of $^{194}$Po is more collective than that observed in the heavier polonium isotopes and indicates that the structure has started to evolve towards the more collective nature expected for deformed nuclei., Comment: 8 pages, revtex 3.0, 4 figs. available upon request

We have studied via in-beam $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy $^{196}$Po and $^{198}$Po, which are the first neutron-deficient Po isotopes to exhibit a collective low-lying structure. The ratios of yrast state energies and the E2 branching ratios of transitions from non-yrast to yrast states are indicative of a low-lying vibrational structure. The onset of collective motion in these isotopes can be attributed to the opening of the neutron i$_{13/2}$ orbital at N$\approx$112 and the resulting large overlap between the two valence protons in the h$_{9/2}$ orbital and the valence neutrons in the i$_{13/2}$ orbital., Comment: (accepted by Phys. Rev. C, in press) 18 pages, revtex 3.0, Five figs. available upon request

An isomer, with t1/2 = 35 +- 10 ns and J, Kpi = 14, 14+, has been observed in the nucleus 176W using the reaction 150Nd(30Si,4n) at a beam energy of 133 MeV. The isomer exhibits an unusual pattern of decay in which the _majority_ of the flux proceeds directly to states with =0, bypassing available levels of intermediate K. This severe breakdown of normal K-selection rules in 176W is compared with recent observations of K-violation in neighboring nuclei, within the framework of proposed theoretical approaches. The available data on these K-violating decays seem to have a consistent explanation in models of K-mixing which include large-amplitude fluctuations of the nuclear shape., Comment: 47 pages, Latex; postscript figures available at http://www.phy.anl.gov/bgo/bc/w176/w176.html; submitted to Phys. Rev. C, 6 Feb 1995

An experiment using the Eurogam Phase II gamma-ray spectrometer confirms the existence of an excited superdeformed (SD) band in 190Hg and its very unusual decay into the lowest SD band over 3-4 transitions. The energies and dipole character of the transitions linking the two SD bands have been firmly established. Comparisons with RPA calculations indicate that the excited SD band can be interpreted as an octupole-vibrational structure., Comment: 12 pages, latex, 4 figures available via WWW at http://www.phy.anl.gov/bgo/bc/hg190_nucl_ex.html