Abstract
The neutron-rich nucleus () is expected to exhibit some of the strongest octupole correlations among nuclei with mass numbers less than 200. Until now, indirect evidence for such strong correlations has been inferred from observations such as enhanced transitions and interleaving positive- and negative-parity levels in the ground-state band. In this experiment, the octupole strength was measured directly by sub-barrier, multistep Coulomb excitation of a post-accelerated 650-MeV beam on a target. The measured value of the matrix element, , corresponds to a reduced transition probability of This result represents an unambiguous determination of the octupole collectivity, is larger than any available theoretical prediction, and is consistent with octupole deformation.
- Received 5 October 2015
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.112503
© 2016 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Synopsis
Nucleus is Surprisingly Pear Shaped
Published 17 March 2016
Experiments confirm that the barium-144 nucleus is pear shaped and hint that this asymmetry is more pronounced than previously thought.
See more in Physics