The population of deformed bands in 48Cr by emission of 8Be from the 32S+24Mg reaction

Using particle-gamma coincidences we have studied the population of final states after the emission of two a-particles and of Be-8 in nuclei formed in S-32 + Mg-24 reactions at an energy of E-L (S-32) = 130 MeV. The data were obtained in a set-up consisting of the GASP gamma -ray detection array and the multidetector array ISIS. Particle identification is obtained from the DeltaE and E signals of the ISIS silicon detector telescopes, with the 8Be being identified by the instantaneous 'pile up' of the DeltaE and E pulses. gamma -ray decays of the Cr-48 nucleus are identified with coincidences set on two a-particles and on Be-8. Some transitions of the side-band with K-pi = 4(-) show a stronger population for Be-8 emission relative to that of two alpha -particles (by a factor of 1.5-1.8). This observation is interpreted as being due to enhanced emission of Be-8 into a more deformed nucleus. Calculations based on the extended Hauser-Feshbach compound decay formalism confirm this observation quantitatively.