High - K multiquasiparticle configurations and limiting moments of inertia in 178

Three new high-K multiquasiparticle intrinsic states, K5(29), K530, and K5(34), have been assigned in W. The configurations of these states are based on ten, eight, and ten, unpaired nucleons, respectively, and they represent the highest-seniority intrinsic K states observed to date. The g-ray intensity branching ratios and associated ugK2gRu values have been used to contribute to the specifications of the underlying single-particle configurations of the states. Configuration-constrained potential energy surface calculations indicate that the nucleus retains stably deformed axially symmetric shapes. This evidence, coupled with the experimental g-ray decay rates, suggests that K remains a good quantum number in these highestseniority intrinsic state configurations. The aligned angular momenta of the K5(29), K530, and K 5(34) bands are observed to be lower than those of the other eight quasiparticle, K525 and K528 bands in W. These differences are interpreted as the effects of reduced pairing due to blocking by the constituent particles. While the dynamic moments of inertia are similar, they remain substantially less than those of a classical rigid rotor, apparently saturating at a value of about 56\ MeV. @S0556-2813~99!03611-0#