Electromagnetic properties and high-spin states in 173Ta

Abstract High-spin properties of rotational bands are studied in 173 Ta using the 160 Gd( 19 F,6n) reaction at bombarding energies of 103–105 MeV. With the existing bands being extended, and new bands established, a total of 16 rotational sequences are interpreted in terms of their (multi) quasiparticle structure. Measurements of electromagnetic properties for these bands include E2 M1 mixing ratios, branching ratios and lifetimes of isomeric states close to band heads, for which all energies have now been determined. Particular emphasis is devoted to (i) the band structures related to the 1 2 − [541] intruder configuration, for which both favoured, and unfavoured partners as well as the extended g- and S-bands in the (delayed) crossing region have been established, (ii) the reduced E1 transition strength between the (new) 1 2 + [411] and 1 2 − [541] bands, which is strongly enhanced, most likely due to coupling to octupole degrees of freedom, and show a ΔI = 4 staggering, (iii) the observation of weak interband transitions between the two partners of a pseudo-spin doublet composed of the 5 2 + [402] and 7 2 + [404] bands together with accurately measured intraband mixing ratios enable an analysis of the mixing of these bands through comparisons to particle-rotor calculations, (iv) the observed three-quasiparticle bands which are assigned to specific configurations coupling the lowest protons to lowest two-quasineutrons with negative parity.