Lifetimes of the superdeformed band in 192Hg

Lifetimes of states in the superdeformed band in 192Hg have been measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation and the recoil-distance methods for the high-spin and the low-spin regions, respectively. Line shapes and decay curves were obtained from high-fold γ-ray coincidence spectra measured with the EUROGAM array. The transition quadrupole moments, derived from the lifetimes, are constant with an average value of Qt=18.6 b down to the bottom of the band where it decays to the normal states. This suggests that the superdeformed potential-energy minimum is still present at that point and that the decay proceeds by tunneling. ((orig.))