Competing decay modes of a high-spin isomer in the proton-unbound nucleus 158Ta

• An isomeric state at high spin and excitation energy was recently observed in the proton-unbound nucleus 158Ta. This state was observed to decay by both α and γ decay modes. The large spin change required to decay via γ-ray emission incurs a lifetime long enough for α decay to compete. The α decay has an energy of 8644(11) keV, which is among the highest observed in the region, a partial half-life of 440(70) μs and changes the spin by 11h. In this paper, additional evidence supporting the assignment of this α decay to the high-spin isomer in 158Ta will be presented.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Excited states

Gamma rays

Nuclear reactions

Alpha decay

Decay mode

Gamma-ray emission

Half lives

High spins

High-spin isomer

Isomeric state

Large spin

Isomers

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)