A1 Journal article (refereed)
Direct measurement of three different deformations near the ground state in an atomic nucleus (2025)

Montes, P. A., Pakarinen, J., Papadakis, P., Herzberg, R.-D., Julin, R., Rodríguez, R., Briscoe, A. D., Illana, A., Ojala, J., Ruotsalainen, P., Uusikylä, E., Alayed, B., Alharbi, A., Alonso-Sañudo, O., Auranen, K., Bogdanoff, V., Chadderton, J., Esmaylzadeh, A., Fransen, C., . . . Zimba, G. L. (2025). Direct measurement of three different deformations near the ground state in an atomic nucleus. Communications Physics, 8, Article 8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-024-01928-8

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Montes, Plaza Adrian; Pakarinen, Janne; Papadakis, Philippos; Herzberg, Rolf-Dietmar; Julin, Rauno; Rodríguez, R.; Briscoe, Andrew D.; Illana, Andrés; Ojala, Joonas; Ruotsalainen, Panu; et al.

Journal or series: Communications Physics

eISSN: 2399-3650

Publication year: 2025

Publication date: 03/01/2025

Volume: 8

Article number: 8

Publisher: Springer Nature

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-024-01928-8

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/99366

Abstract

Atomic nuclei serve as prime laboratories for investigations of complex quantum phenomena, where minor nucleon rearrangements cause significant structural changes. 190Pb is the heaviest known neutron-deficient Pb isotope that can exhibit three distinct shapes: prolate, oblate, and spherical, with nearly degenerate excitation energies. Here we report on the combined results from three state-of-the-art measurements to directly observe these deformations in190Pb. Contrary to earlier interpretations, we associate the collective yrast band as predominantly oblate, while the non-yrast band with higher collectivity follows characteristics of more deformed, predominantly prolate bands. Direct measurement of the E0(0+→01+)E0(0 2+ →0 1+​ ) transition and γ-e−− coincidence relations allowed us to locate and firmly assign the 02+02+​ state in the level scheme and to discover a spherical 23+2 3+​ state at 1281(1) keV with B(E2;23+→01+)=1.2(3)B(E2;2 3+​ →0 1+​ )=1.2(3) W.u. These assignments are based purely on observed transition probabilities and monopole strength values, and do not rely on model calculations for their interpretation.

Keywords: nuclear physics; particle physics

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2025

Preliminary JUFO rating: 2