EPJ Web of Conferences (Jan 2019)

Coulomb excitation of pear-shaped nuclei

  • Butler Peter,
  • Gaffney Liam,
  • Spagnoletti Pietro,
  • Konki Joonas,
  • Scheck Marcus,
  • Smith John,
  • Abrahams Kenzo,
  • Bowry Michael,
  • Cederkäll Joakim,
  • Chupp Timothy,
  • de Angelis Giacomo,
  • De Witte Hilde,
  • Garrett Paul,
  • Goldkuhle Alina,
  • Henrich Corinna,
  • Illana Andres,
  • Johnston Karl,
  • Joss David,
  • Keatings James,
  • Kelly Nicola,
  • Komorowska Michalina,
  • Kröll Thorsten,
  • Lozano Miguel,
  • Nara Singh Bondili,
  • O'Donnell David,
  • Ojala Joonas,
  • Page Robert,
  • Pedersen Line,
  • Raison Christopher,
  • Reiter Peter,
  • Rodriguez Jose Alberto,
  • Rosiak Dawid,
  • Rothe Sebastian,
  • Shneidman Timur,
  • Siebeck Burkhard,
  • Seidlitz Michael,
  • Sinclair Jacqueline,
  • Stryjczyk Marek,
  • Van Duppen Piet,
  • Vinals Silvia,
  • Virtanen Ville,
  • Warr Nigel,
  • Wrzosek-Lipska Kasia,
  • Zielinska Magda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201922301007
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 223
p. 01007

Abstract

Read online

There is a large body of evidence that atomic nuclei can undergo octupole distortion and assume the shape of a pear. This phenomenon is important for measurements of electric-dipole moments of atoms, which would indicate CP violation and hence probe physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. Isotopes of both radon and radium have been identified as candidates for such measurements. Here, we have observed the low-lying quantum states in 224Rn and 226Rn by accelerating beams of these radioactive nuclei. We show that radon isotopes undergo octupole vibrations but do not possess static pear-shapes in their ground states. We conclude that radon atoms provide less favourable conditions for the enhancement of a measurable atomic electric-dipole moment.