title: K isomers in 254No: probing single-particle energies and pairing strengths in the heaviest nuclei.
abstract: We have identified two isomers in 254No, built on two- and four-quasiparticle excitations, with quantum numbers K pi = 8- and (14+), as well as a low-energy 2-quasiparticle Kpi = 3+ state. The occurrence of isomers establishes that K is a good quantum number and therefore that the nucleus has an axial prolate shape. The 2-quasiparticle states probe the energies of the proton levels that govern the stability of superheavy nuclei, test 2-quasiparticle energies from theory, and thereby check their predictions of magic gaps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, USA.
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authors.lastname: Zhu