Shell Erosion and Shape Coexistence in (16)43S27

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Mar 6;102(9):092501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.092501. Epub 2009 Mar 2.

Abstract

We report on the g-factor measurement of the first isomeric state in (16)43S27 [Ex=320.5(5) keV, T1/2=415(5) ns, and g=0.317(4)]. The 7/2- spin-parity of the isomer and the intruder nature of the ground state of the nucleus are experimentally established for the first time, providing direct and unambiguous evidence of the collapse of the N=28 shell closure in neutron-rich nuclei. The shell model, beyond the mean-field and semiempirical calculations, provides a very consistent description of this nucleus showing that a well deformed prolate and quasispherical states coexist at low energy.