Yields, Angular Distributions, and Polarization of Gamma Rays from Coulomb Excitation

The yields of gamma rays resulting from Coulomb excitation have been measured for Tl²⁰⁵, Tl²⁰³, Au¹⁹⁷, Ir¹⁹³, Ir¹⁹¹, Re¹⁸⁷, Re¹⁸⁵, W¹⁸³, Ta¹⁸¹, Cd¹¹³, Cd¹¹¹, Ag¹⁰⁹, Ag¹⁰⁷, Rh¹⁰³, Mo⁹⁵, Os¹⁹², Os¹⁹⁰, Os¹⁸⁸, W¹⁸⁶, W¹⁸⁴, and W¹⁸². Angular distributions of the gamma radiation from the nuclei Tl²⁰⁵, Tl²⁰³, Au¹⁹⁷, Ir¹⁹³, Ir¹⁹¹, Re¹⁸⁷, Re¹⁸⁵, Ta¹⁸¹, Cd¹¹³, Cd¹¹¹, Ag¹⁰⁹, Ag¹⁰⁷, Rh¹⁰³, and Mo⁹⁵ have been measured with respect to the incident proton beam on thick targets. The linear polarization of gamma rays following Coulomb excitation has been studied. A polarimeter based on the Compton scattering mechanism has been constructed and its effectiveness determined by measurements of the known polarization of gamma rays from excitation of 2+ levels in even-even nuclei. Polarization-direction measurements of several transitions in odd-mass nuclei have resolved the ambiguity either in the value of (E2/M1)1/2 or in the spin of the excited state deduced from the angular distributions. Reduced transition probabilities for $E2$ and $M1$ transitions are obtained. In some instances these quantities are compared to the predictions of the collective model of the nucleus.