146Gd and 144Sm excited by the (p,t) reaction on radioactive targets

The (p,t) reaction has been used to study the closed-shell nuclei 146Gd and 144Sm, the former exhibiting some characteristics of a doubly closed shell. Exotic radioactive targets of 148Gd (t1/2 = 75 yr) and 146Sm (t1/2 = 7×10^7 yr) obtained from chemical and isotope separation of irradiated beam-stop material were employed. The ground-state mass excess of 146Gd was measured as being Δu = -76.083(15) MeV and the first excited state is confirmed as being a 3- state at 1.580-MeV excitation energy. Thirteen states were observed in 146Gd and 23 in 144Sm. The pairing-monopole and pairing-quadrupole states in both nuclei are observed for the first time. These levels are higher than systematics would predict, confirming a proton-subshell closure in 146Gd, and are split in 144Sm, indicating a strong interaction between nuclear modes