We reply to the preceding comment.

Following the identification of the lowest-spin member of the two-phonon octupole quartet in ${}^{208}\mathrm{Pb},$ the additional members of the multiplet have been sought with the ${(n,n}^{\prime }\gamma )$ reaction. Based on energy arguments and $E1\mathrm{}$ transition probabilities determined from Doppler-shift lifetime measurements, the 5286- and 5216-keV states are suggested as candidates for the $2^{+}$ and $4^{+}$ two-phonon octupole excitations in ${}^{208}\mathrm{Pb}.$ The difficulties of identifying the $6^{+}$ member of this quartet are examined.

Intensities of transitions in both yrast and excited superdeformed bands in ${}^{132}\mathrm{Ce}$ and ${}^{131}\mathrm{Ce}$ have been measured for different compound nuclear entry conditions. The reaction of ${}^{100}\mathrm{Mo}{(}^{36}\mathrm{S}$, $\mathrm{xn}$) was used at six different bombarding energies of 135, 142, 150, 155, 160, and 170 MeV, covering a wide range in compound nuclear ${\mathcal{l}}_{\max }$ $(47\mathrm{}–75ħ)$ and excitation energy (69–95 MeV). Three superdeformed bands were populated in the reactions, namely the ${}^{132}\mathrm{Ce}$ yrast band, ${}^{131}\mathrm{Ce}$ yrast band, and the ${}^{131}\mathrm{Ce}$ excited band. Intensity measurements were made as a function of bombarding energy and various population effects were observed. Many of these effects are difficult to explain within the framework of the current picture of superdeformed band feeding.

A binary cluster model reproduces the quasirotational excitation energies and enhanced $E2\mathrm{}$ transition rates of the low-lying $0^{+}$ and $0^{-}$ bands in actinide nuclei. The characteristic $J^{\pi }{=0\mathrm{}}^{+}{,2\mathrm{}}^{+}{,4\mathrm{}}^{+},\dots$ and $1^{-}{,3\mathrm{}}^{-}{,5\mathrm{}}^{-},\dots$ patterns of the bands emerge naturally without invoking ad hoc symmetry arguments. The calculations yield very similar radial wave functions for levels of a given band up to large $J^{\pi }$, implying a common intrinsic state for each band. The model can then be extended to reproduce further phenomena more usually associated with the deformed rotor picture.

We have studied the ${}^8\mathrm{Li}$ and ${}^8\mathrm{B}$ nuclei within the extended $\alpha {+t(}^3\mathrm{He})+N$ model, which takes into account peculiarities of both two- and three-body dynamics. Effects of strong deformation and dynamical polarization of the ${}^7\mathrm{Li}{(}^7\mathrm{Be})$ core as well as the core excitation are treated simultaneuosly. Various observables are calculated for ${}^8\mathrm{Li}$, ${}^8\mathrm{B}$ states and compared with the experiment. Estimates, based on the values of asymptotic normalization coefficients for the obtained ${}^8\mathrm{B}$ wave function, support $S_{17}\mathrm{}\left(0\right)\mathrm{}$ value $\sim 19.2\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{eV}\mathrm{}\mathrm{b}$.

The momentum-transfer dependence of the ${}^3$H and ${}^3$He knockout reactions from ${}^6$Li via exclusive electron scattering has been measured, and the two reactions are compared. In the absence of two-step processes, the ratio of the fivefold cross sections for these mirror reactions should simply scale by the ratio of the ${}^3$H and ${}^3$He electron-scattering cross sections. A significant deviation from this simple expectation is seen at low momentum transfer. Possible explanations for this dramatic difference in cross sections for these mirror reactions are discussed.

We assume that the nuclear potential for distances larger than 2.5 fm is given just by the exchanges of one and two pions and, for the latter, we adopt a model based on chiral symmetry and subthreshold pion-nucleon amplitudes, which contains no free parameters. The predictions produced by this model for nucleon-nucleon observables are calculated and shown to agree well with both experiment and those due to phenomenological potentials.

The production of $\omega$ mesons in proton-proton collisions for proton incident energies up to $2.2\hspace{0.5em}\mathrm{GeV}$ is investigated within a meson-exchange model of hadronic interactions. We find a large cancellation between the dominant $\pi \rho \omega$ meson-exchange current and nucleonic current contributions. A comparison with preliminary data from SATURNE calls for the inclusion of off-shell form factors at the $\mathrm{NN}\omega$ and $\pi \rho \omega$ production vertices. Due to the present lack of knowledge of these form factors, together with the destructive interference mentioned above, the relative magnitude of the nucleonic and meson-exchange current contributions cannot be determined from existing total cross section data. However, it is shown that the angular distribution of the produced $\omega$ mesons provides a unique and clear signature of the magnitude of these currents, thus allowing one to disentangle these two basic reaction mechanisms.

The proton analyzing power $A_{y0\mathrm{}}$ and the deuteron tensor analyzing power $T_{20}$ are evaluated for the $\mathrm{pd}\leftrightarrow {\pi }^{+}t$ process, in the energy region around and above the $\Delta$ resonance. These calculations extend a previous analysis of the excitation function and differential cross section, based on a model embodying one- and two-body $p$-wave absorption mechanisms and isobar excitation. The three-nucleon bound state and the $\mathrm{pd}$ scattering state are evaluated through Faddeev techniques for both the Bonn and Paris potentials. The spin variables exhibit a greater sensitivity to the number of included three-nucleon partial waves than the cross sections, while the role played by the initial- or final-state interactions appears to be small. The results for the tensor analyzing power at backward angles show a non-negligible dependence on the potentials employed, consistently with what has been previously found for the cross sections. The calculation of spin observables gives a clear indication that other reaction mechanisms (presumably $s$-wave two-body absorption) have to be included in the model, in order to reproduce the experimental data below the $\Delta$ resonance, in analogy with the simpler $\mathrm{pp}\leftrightarrow \pi d$ process.

The $\pi$-mesonic decay of the hypertriton is calculated based on a hypertriton wave function and 3$N$ scattering states, which are rigorous solutions of three-body Faddeev equations using realistic $\mathrm{NN}$ and hyperon-nucleon interactions. The total $\pi$-mesonic decay rate is found to be 101% of the free $\Lambda$ decay rate, which is close to the experimental data. Together with the nonmesonic decay the total lifetime of ${}_{\Lambda }^3$H is predicted to be 2.56 $\times$ 10${}^{-10}$ sec which is 3% smaller than for the free $\Lambda$ particle. The differential decay rate is evaluated as a function of the pion momentum. The decay into the $N+d+\pi$ channel is stronger than in the $3N+\pi$ channel in contrast to the situation for the nonmesonic decay. The ratio for the decay rate into ${}^3$He + ${\pi }^{-}$ to the decay rate into all channels including ${\pi }^{-}$ is found to be 0.379, which is close to the experimental value. We visualize the decay into the dominant channel $p+d+{\pi }^{-}$ in a Dalitz plot. Finally we compare the polarization of the outgoing proton in free unpolarized $\Lambda$ decay to the polarization of ${}^3$He in unpolarized ${}_{\Lambda }^3$H decay and we compare the closely related asymmetry of ${\pi }^{-}$ emitted parallel and antiparallel with respect to the spin direction for a polarized $\Lambda$ to the corresponding asymmetry for a polarized ${}_{\Lambda }^3$H.

Low-lying states at $E_x=4.4\mathrm{}–8.6\mathrm{MeV}$ of excitation energy in ${}^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ have been studied by means of inelastic deuteron scattering at $E_d=56\mathrm{}\mathrm{MeV}.$ The spin, parity, and isoscalar matrix element of detected levels have been deduced by comparing the measured cross sections with coupled-channel calculations using collective form factors. The present data for higher excitation energies have been analyzed by combining with previous data at lower excitation energies. The low-energy octupole strength in ${}^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ is found to be mostly located in the excitation energy range of $E_x=4.4\mathrm{}–8.6\mathrm{MeV}.$ The strength is weakly fragmented, and the $3_1^{-}$ level exhausts the major part of the octupole energy-weighted-sum-rule value. A similar behavior is observed for the quadrupole strength in ${}^{56}\mathrm{Fe},$ which is mostly located below $E_x=4.4\mathrm{}\mathrm{MeV}.$ This is in contrast with the behavior of the $3^{-}$ and $2^{+}$ states in ${}^{54}\mathrm{Fe},$ which are heavily fragmented despite the weaker quadrupole deformation. The hexadecapole strength is strongly fragmented both in ${}^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ and in ${}^{54}\mathrm{Fe}.$ The strength distributions for the transitions with multipolarities $\lambda =2,$ 3, and 4 in ${}^{54,56}\mathrm{Fe}$ have been compared with random phase approximation calculations. The theoretical calculations show that the closure of the $\nu f_{7/2}$ shell is responsible for the observed fragmentation of the $2^{+}$ and $3^{-}$ strengths in ${}^{54}\mathrm{Fe},$ and that the collectivity of the $2_1^{+}$ and $3_1^{-}$ levels of ${}^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$ is restored by the presence of two neutrons outside the $\nu f_{7/2}$ shell.

High spin states of ${}^{63}$Zn isotope have been populated by ${}^{50}$Cr${(}^{16}$O, $2pn$) reaction at a beam energy of 75 MeV. A total of 37 $\gamma$ rays and 18 energy levels have been placed in the proposed level scheme, extending it up to an excitation energy of 9776 keV. Positive and negative parity states up to $I=$$\frac{23}{2}$ and $\frac{31}{2}$, respectively, are found to be populated. A positive parity unfavored band and a negative parity band have been identified. The structure of this nucleus has been investigated in the framework of interacting boson-fermion model, incorporating both the quadrupole and the octupole excitations of the even-even ${}^{62}$Zn core. The structure of the positive parity yrast band is described in terms of a weak coupling of the $g_{9/2}$ neutron motion to the multiphonon excitations of the even-even core. Some of the high spin negative parity states observed in the experimental spectrum cannot be described within the framework of the present model. One of the possible reasons may be that these states have large contributions from noncollective two-quasiparticle-type excitations. Experimental branching ratios of some of the transitions are compared with the results of our calculation.

Excited states in the nucleus ${}^{191}\mathrm{Pb}$ have been investigated by in-beam γ-ray spectroscopic techniques using the Gammasphere array. The reaction ${}^{173}\mathrm{Yb}{(}^{24}\mathrm{Mg},6n)$ at a beam energy of 134.5 MeV was used to populate states of ${}^{191}\mathrm{Pb}.$ The level scheme of ${}^{191}\mathrm{Pb}$ has been extended up to 5.1 MeV excitation energy and spin $45/2.$ The lower part (below $\approx 2.3\mathrm{MeV}$) presents the general features common in all odd-mass Pb isotopes, i.e., spherical states built on the ${13/2}^{+}$ isomer, with bandlike structures that follow weak-coupling expectations. In the upper part of the level scheme two dipole bands are observed with bandhead energies of $\sim 2.512$ and 2.291 MeV. A comparison of dipole band 1 with the strongest negative-parity dipole bands in the heavier odd-mass Pb isotopes reveals striking similarities. The spherical states are interpreted as the coupling of the $i_{13/2}$ neutron hole to the yrast states in the even-mass ${}^{192}\mathrm{Pb}$ core. The dipole bands are interpreted as $M1\mathrm{}$ cascades which arise from the coupling of two protons in high-$j$ orbitals above the $Z=82\mathrm{}$ gap to neutron holes in the $i_{13/2}$ orbital.

The high-spin structure of ${}^{111}$In has been investigated with $\gamma$-ray spectroscopic methods using the ${}^{96}$Zr${(}^{19}$F,4$n)$ reaction with thin and backed targets. A comprehensive level scheme has been constructed which exhibits interesting collective as well as novel single-particle excitations. Unambiguous evidence of proton particle-hole excitations is found for the first time in a $Z<\mathrm{}$50 nucleus in the form of decoupled bands involving proton $g_{7/2}{(d}_{5/2})$ and $h_{11/2}$ orbitals above the $Z$=50 spherical shell gap. The high-spin structure of ${}^{111}$In also involves the recently discovered magnetic rotation mechanism which is manifest as high-spin $\Delta I$=1 bands with no signature splitting and large $B\left(M1\mathrm{}\right)\mathrm{}$ strengths, but only a small associated deformation.

The presently known most neutron-rich isotopes of element 106 (seaborgium, Sg), ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg, were produced in the fusion reaction ${}^{22}$Ne+${}^{248}$Cm at beam energies of 121 and 123 MeV. Using the On-Line Gas chemistry Apparatus OLGA, a continuous separation of Sg was achieved within a few seconds. Final products were assayed by $\alpha$-particle and spontaneous fission (SF) spectrometry. ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg were identified by observing time correlated $\alpha$-$\alpha$-$\left(\alpha \right)$ and $\alpha$-SF decay chains. A total of 13 correlated decay chains of ${}^{265}$Sg (with an estimated number of 2.8 random correlations) and 3 decay chains of ${}^{266}$Sg (0.6 random correlations) were identified. Deduced decay properties were $T_{1/2}$=${7.4}_{-2.7}^{+3.3\mathrm{}}$ s (68% c.i.) and $E_{\alpha }$=8.69 MeV (8%), 8.76 MeV (23%), 8.84 MeV (46%), and 8.94 MeV (23%) for ${}^{265}$Sg; and $T_{1/2}$=${21}_{-12}^{+20\mathrm{}}$ s (68% c.i.) and $E_{\alpha }$=8.52 MeV (33%) and 8.77 MeV (66%) for ${}^{266}$Sg. The resolution of the detectors was between 50–100 keV (full width at half maximum). Upper limits for SF of $<~$35% and $<~$82% were established for ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg, respectively. The upper limits for SF are given with a 16% error probability. Using the lower error limits of the half-lives of ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg, the resulting lower limits for the partial SF half-lives are $T_{1/2}^{\mathrm{SF}}$${(}^{265}$Sg)$>~$13 s and $T_{1/2}^{\mathrm{SF}}$${(}^{266}$Sg)$>~$11 s. Correspondingly, the partial $\alpha$-decay half-lives are between $T_{1/2}^{\alpha }$${(}^{265}$Sg)=4.7–16.5 s (68% c.i.) and $T_{1/2}^{\alpha }$${(}^{266}$Sg)=9–228 s (68% c.i.), using the upper and lower error limits of the half-lives of ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg. The lower limit on the partial SF half-life of ${}^{266}$Sg is in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Production cross sections of about 240 pb and 25 pb for the $\alpha$-decay branch in ${}^{265}$Sg and ${}^{266}$Sg were estimated, respectively.

High-spin structures in the odd-neutron ${}^{113}\mathrm{Te}$ and ${}^{115}\mathrm{Te}$ isotopes have been investigated using the ${}^{54}\mathrm{Fe}{(}^{63}\mathrm{Cu}$) and ${}^{64}{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{i}(}^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$) heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reactions, respectively. In ${}^{113}\mathrm{Te}$, the level scheme has been extended up to approximately 9 MeV above the $I^{\pi }{=(11/2\mathrm{}}^{-})$ state; no rotational bands have been observed. In ${}^{115}\mathrm{Te}$, three rotational bands have been identified and connected to known low-lying states. Experimental observations for one of these bands appear to be consistent with a deformed four-particle two-hole proton configuration, marking the first identification of an intruder rotational band in an odd-mass Te isotope in the $109<~A<~121$ region.

The ground state properties of $N=Z$ doubly closed shell nuclei are studied within correlated basis function theory. A truncated version of the Urbana $v_{14}$ realistic potential, with spin, isospin, and tensor components, is adopted, together with state-dependent correlations. Fermi hypernetted chain integral equations are used to evaluate the density, distribution function, and ground state energy of ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and ${}^{40}\mathrm{Ca}.$ The nuclear matter single operator chain approximation is extended to finite nuclear systems, to deal with the noncommuting part of the correlation operators. The results favorably compare with variational Monte Carlo estimates, when available, and provide a first substantial check of the accuracy of the cluster summation method for state-dependent correlations. We achieve in finite nuclei a treatment of noncentral interactions and correlations having, at least, the same level of accuracy as in nuclear matter. This opens the way for a microscopic study of the medium heavy nuclei ground state using present day realistic Hamiltonians.

The transverse nuclear response for quasifree electron scattering is discussed. The analysis is done by comparing different calculations performed in the random-phase approximation and ring approximation frameworks. The importance of the exchange terms in this energy region is investigated and the changes in the nuclear responses due to the modification of the interaction are evaluated. The calculated quasielastic responses show clear indication of their sensibility to the details of the interaction and this imposes the necessity of a more careful study of the role of the different channels of the interaction in this excitation region.

$B(E2,\hspace{0.5em}L+\overrightarrow{2}L)$ transitions in the $\mathrm{sdg}$ interacting boson model SU(3) limit are studied with a general $E2\mathrm{}$ transition operator. Analytical expressions are obtained using a group theoretic method. It is found that when using transition operators of the form ${(d}^{†}\tilde{g}{+g}^{†}\tilde{d}{)}^2$ or ${(g}^{†}\tilde{g}{)}^2$, the $B(E2,\hspace{0.5em}L+\overrightarrow{2}L)$ values in the ground-state band have an $L(L+3\mathrm{})\mathrm{}$ dependent term. As $L$ increases, the $B\left(E2\mathrm{}\right)\mathrm{}$ values can be larger than the rigid rotor model value. Application to ${}^{236,238}$U is discussed.

Resolution of discrete final states in the ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}{(e,e}^{\prime }{pp)}^{14}\mathrm{C}$ reaction may provide an interesting tool to discriminate between contributions from one- and two-body currents in this reaction. This is based on the observation that the $0^{+}$ ground state and first $2^{+}$ state of ${}^{14}\mathrm{C}$ are reached predominantly by the removal of a ${}^1{S}_0$ pair from ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ in this reaction, whereas other states mostly arise by the removal of a ${}^{3}P$ pair. This theoretical prediction has been supported recently by an analysis of the pair momentum distribution of the experimental data [1]. In this paper we present results of reaction calculations performed in a direct knockout framework where final-state interaction and one- and two-body currents are included. The two-nucleon overlap integrals are obtained from a calculation of the two-proton spectral function of ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and include both long-range and short-range correlations. The kinematics chosen in the calculations is relevant for recent experiments at NIKHEF and Mainz. We find that the knockout of a ${}^{3}P$ proton pair is largely due to the (two-body) Δ current. The ${}^1{S}_0$ pair knockout, on the other hand, is dominated by contributions from the one-body current and therefore sensitive to two-body short-range correlations. This opens up good perspectives for the study of these correlations in the ${}^{16}\mathrm{O}{(e,e}^{\prime }pp)$ reaction involving the lowest few states in ${}^{14}\mathrm{C}.$ In particular the longitudinal structure function $f_{00},$ which might be separated with superparallel kinematics, turns out to be quite sensitive to the $\mathrm{NN}$ potential that is adopted in the calculations.