Levels of 232U fed in 236Pu α decay

The γ spectrum following the α decay of 236Pu has been reinvestigated with a high-resolution HPGe detector. Accurate energies and intensities are reported for 26 γ transitions, of which 20 were observed for the first time. A decay scheme is constructed using the Ritz combination principle, γγ coincidence data, and previously known data from nuclear reactions and from232Pa β- decay. We observe feeding of the ground-state rotational band up to spin 8, the β vibrational band to spin 4, the K=0 octupole vibrational band to spin 5, and the bandhead of the γ vibrational band. New states of 232U at 927.3 and 967.7 keV, populated with low α-decay hindrance factors, are assigned as members of a second-excited Kπ=0+ band. The ratio of E1/E2 transitions in the decay of these states suggests that the E1 transitions to members of the K=0 octupole band may be rather fast (∼10-3 Weisskopf units). Systematics of hindrance factors for α decay to vibrational states are presented