Study of the breathing mode of 208Pb through neutron decay.

The neutron decay of the giant monopole resonance region between 13 to 15 MeV in /sup 208/Pb is analyzed in terms of collective and statistical doorway states. The direct escape widths of the giant monopole resonance populating the lowest five valence hole states of /sup 207/Pb are determined, and compared with the results obtained from complex collective states. This comparison discriminates sharply between different model Hamiltonians which predict similar energies and collectivities for the resonance.