Monopole strength in ${}_{}{}^{58}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ni}$

Differential cross-section data from 0° to 8° for inelastic scattering of 129 MeV alpha particles exciting ${}_{}{}^{58}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ni}$ in the region of 14–22 MeV have been analyzed to explore the existence of monopole strength at approximately ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{x}}$=17 MeV. The angular distribution for a peak at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{x}}$=17.0 MeV with Γ=4.0 MeV is consistent with an E0 transition exhausting 19±10 % of the E0 energy-weighted sum rule (EWSR). The angular distributions for peaks at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{x}}$=16.1 and 20.4 MeV with Γ=4.7 and 4.4 MeV, respectively, were fit by 52±10 % of the E2 EWSR and a combination of E2 (6.9±2.0 % EWSR) and E0 (2.$9_{\mathrm{-}2.9}^{+2.1\mathrm{}}$% EWSR).