Charge radii and electromagnetic moments of 214−218 Bi : Exploring the “southern” border of the 𝑍 > 82 octupole-deformation region
The changes in the mean-squared charge radii relative to 209 Bi 126 (𝛿⟨𝑟 2 ⟩ 𝑁,126 ) and the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments in 214−218 Bi have been measured using the in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy technique at ISOLDE (CERN). Magnetic moments of odd-odd bismuth nuclei have been analyzed by the additivity relation. Previous tentative spin-parity and configuration assignments based on the 𝛽-decay feeding patterns have been supported. A normal odd-even staggering in charge radii of bismuth isotopes with 𝑁>126 has been observed. The new data for the 𝛿⟨𝑟 2 ⟩ of bismuth isotopes allow a study of the isotonic dependencies in the charge radii, revealing jumps in 𝛿⟨𝑟 2 ⟩ 132,126 and 𝛿⟨𝑟 2 ⟩ 134,126 at 𝑍 = 84. This pattern could be explained by a sudden onset of octupole deformation at 𝑁 = 132 and 134 when going from polonium (𝑍 = 84) to astatine (𝑍 = 85).