Evolution of triaxial shapes at large isospin: Rh isotopes

Abstract

The rotational response as a function of neutron–proton asymmetry for the very neutron-rich isotopes of Rh (116–119Rh) has been obtained from the measurement of prompt γ rays from isotopically identified fragments, produced in fission reactions at energies around the Coulomb barrier. The measured energy “signature” splitting of the yrast bands, when compared with the Triaxial Projected Shell Model (TPSM) calculations, shows the need for large, nearly constant, triaxial deformations. The present results are compared with global predictions for the existence of non axial shapes in the periodic table in the case of very neutron-rich nuclei Rh isotopes. The predicted trend of a second local maximum for a triaxial shape around N∼74 is not found.

Keywords

• Isotopic identification of fission fragments
• Neutron-rich Rh isotopes
• Triaxial projected shell model
• Nuclear triaxiality