Upper bounds for electromagnetic excitations

A generally applicable procedure, based on spectral distribution methods, is given here for evaluating approximately the maximum possible transition strengths in a nucleus achievable by working in a given model space. The method does not involve tedious matrix diagonalization and can be easily used in large model spaces. Comparisons are made with exact shellmodel and SU(3) calculations. Numerical examples are given for electric and magnetic multipole transitions from the ground state in the ds-shell nuclei 20Ne, 24Mg, 28Si, 32S and 36Ar. (orig.)