Model-dependence of hindrance factors for alpha-decay, and consequences for the description of the 45.1 s isomeric state of 212Po

Abstract

Abstract We calculate reduced hindrance factors for the α-decays of the 2.92 MeV (18 + ) isomeric state of 212 Po to the low-lying states of 208 Pb, and find widely different results depending on the underlying model used. The conventional model suggests strongly hindered decays in all cases, whereas a more recent model is consistent with the (18 + ) isomeric and 0 + ground state of 212 Po sharing a common structure as members of a positive parity α-cluster “band” with the 208 Pb ground state as a core.