Quadrupole and octupole collectivity in 148Nd

The role of quadrupole and octupole collectivity in the shape-transitional nucleus 148Nd has been studied by Coulomb excitation using beams of 58Ni and 92Mo, and a beam of 148Nd (using a 208Pb target). The extracted E1, E2 and E3 matrix elements involving states up to 12+ in the ground band and 13- in the negative-parity band are presented, and compared to calculations that assume a vibrational and rotational octupole nature for the negative-parity band. The positive-parity ground-band states are well described in terms of a prolate deformed shape with Q20∼400 e fm2 (β2rms∼+0.18). The present results suggest a vibrational octupole nature for the low-spin negative-parity states, with an intrinsic moment Q30∼1500 e fm3 (β3rms∼0.12). The E2 and E3 matrix elements connecting these bands to the β- and γ-vibrational bands (and within these bands) are also presented, and compared to calculations incorporating the coupling between the rotational and vibrational modes. These calculations describe reasonably well the E2 matrix elements involving the gamma band, but do not reproduce the measured E2 matrix elements for the beta band, implying a complicated intrinsic structure for the beta band. The strong enhancement of the measured E3 matrix elements connecting the negative-parity band to the beta band could be indicative of a significant component of the two-phonon octupole vibration in the wavefunction of the so-called beta band. (orig.)