Properties of the lowest T = 2 state in 24Mg

The lowest T = 2 state in 24Mg was investigated using the 23Na(p,γ)24Mg reaction. The excitation energies of this level and of the two lowest T = 1 levels subsequently fed in its γ-ray decay were determined to be 15436.4 +- 0.6, 10711.7 +- 0.8 and 9967.5 +- 0.5 keV respectively. Accurate γ-ray decay branching ratios of these three levels were obtained, and a comparison was made with the analogous ΔT = 1 transitions in 24Na. From a simultaneous measurement of the radiative strength and the 23Na(p,α,γ)20Ne strength, partial widths were deduced for the γ-ray, proton and α-particle decays of the T = 2 level. The total width of the level was found to be 1.02 +- 0.34 keV. (Author)