Shapes, softness, and nonyrast collectivity in

Nonyrast, excited states in neutron-rich were populated via inelastic-scattering reactions using beams of nuclei accelerated to 725 and 800 MeV. Levels populated in the reactions were investigated via particle- coincidence techniques using the Gammasphere array of high-purity germanium detectors and the compact heavy-ion counter, CHICO2. The (), and (octupole) rotational side bands were extended to spins , and , respectively. A staggering pattern observed in the energies of levels in the band was found to be consistent with a potential that gets softer to vibration in the degree of freedom with increasing spin. The odd-even staggering of states in the band was found to exhibit a phase opposite to that seen in the band; an effect most probably associated with Coriolis coupling to other, unobserved octupole vibrational bands in .