Low-lying 0 +-states in nuclei

Abstract

Low-lying 0+ states in even-even nuclei are discussed and correlated with their shell structure. The merits of the hypothesis of pair promotion as a possible explanation for their occurrence are investigated and checked for the 722Ge case. If this hypothesis were true, the rate of 0+ → 0+ transitions would be a sensitive measure of the residual particle interactions. The conclusion can be drawn that only a fraction of the internucleon potential is active in the transition between the nucleons in the excited and ground states. The investigation of nuclei where 0+ states might be expected could lead to better founded conclusions.