Intruder configurations in the A=33 isobars: 33Mg and 33Al

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Oct 3;101(14):142504. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.142504. Epub 2008 Oct 2.

Abstract

The beta decay of 33Mg (N=21) presented in this Letter reveals intruder configurations in both the parent and the daughter nucleus. The lowest excited states in the N=20 daughter nucleus, 33Al, are found to have nearly 2p-2h intruder configuration, thus extending the "island of inversion" beyond Mg. The allowed direct beta-decay branch to the 5/2{+} ground state of the daughter nucleus 33Al implies positive parity for the ground state of the parent 33Mg, contrary to an earlier suggestion of negative parity from a g-factor measurement. An admixture of 1p-1h and 3p-3h configurations is proposed for the ground state of 33Mg to explain all of the experimental observables.