Gamma Decay of Low-Energy Octupole Resonance inZr90

Gamma decay of the low-energy octupole resonance in /sup 90/Zr was studied by inelastic ..cap alpha.. scattering at 99.3 MeV. Correlation functions measured for the ground-state transition support a spin-3 assignment for the low-energy octupole resonance. Observed branching ratios to the ground and the low-lying states around E/sub x/approx.2.2 MeV are respectively (7.9 +- 1.0)% and (32 +- 10)%, which are significantly larger than those predicted by the statistical-decay model.