Stable triaxiality at the highest spins in138Ndand139Nd

The nuclei ${}^{138}\mathrm{Nd}$ and ${}^{139}\mathrm{Nd}$ have been studied at very high spins via the ${}^{48}\mathrm{Ca}{+}^{94}\mathrm{Zr}$ reaction. Several new rotational bands were observed, four in ${}^{138}\mathrm{Nd}$ and two in ${}^{139}\mathrm{Nd}.$ The ${J}^{(2)}$ moments of inertia calculated from the observed $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray energies are very small and almost constant, indicating that these bands are triaxial. Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations reproduce the general behavior of the bands, supporting this interpretation and suggesting an approximately constant $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ value of $\ensuremath{\sim}+35\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ over a large s…