6533b826fe1ef96bd1284f6a

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Two-phonon octupole excitation inGd146

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description

Based on experimental evidence from the $^{144}\mathrm{Sm}$($\ensuremath{\alpha},2n$) reaction, the $3484.7$-keV ${6}^{+}$ state in $^{146}\mathrm{Gd}$ is identified as the highest-spin member of the ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}{3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ two-phonon octupole quartet. A previously unknown $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ line of $1905.8$ keV and $E3$ character feeding the ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ octupole state has been observed. These results represent the first observation of a ${6}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{3}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$ cascade of two $E3$ transitions in an even-even nucleus and provide strong support for the interpretation of the ${6}^{+}$ state as a two-phonon octupole excitation.