Investigation of the Δn = 0 selection rule in Gamow-Teller transitions: The β-decay of ²⁰⁷ Hg

Gamow-Teller β decay is forbidden if the number of nodes in the radial wave functions of the initial and final states is different. This Δn=0 requirement plays a major role in the β decay of heavy neutron-rich nuclei, affecting the nucleosynthesis through the increased half-lives of nuclei on the astrophysical r-process pathway below both Z=50 (for N>82) and Z=82 (for N>126). The level of forbiddenness of the Δn=1ν1g _9/2 →π0g _7/2 transition has been investigated from the β ⁻ decay of the ground state of ²⁰⁷ Hg into the single-proton-hole nucleus ²⁰⁷ Tl in an experiment at the ISOLDE Decay Station. From statistical observational limits on possible γ-ray transitions depopulating the π0g _7/2 ⁻¹ state in ²⁰⁷ Tl, an upper limit of 3.9×10 ⁻³ % was obtained for the probability of this decay, corresponding to log⁡ft>8.8 within a 95% confidence limit. This is the most stringent test of the Δn=0 selection rule to date.