Super heavy nuclei provide opportunities to study nuclear structure near three simultaneous limits: in charge Z, spin I and excitation energy E∗. These nuclei exist only because of a fission barrier, created by shell effects. It is therefore important to determine the fission barrier and its spin dependence Bf(I), which gives information on the shell energy Eshell(I). Theoretical calculations predict different fission barrier heights from Bf(I = 0) = 6.8 MeV for a macro-microscopic model to 8.7 MeV for Density Functional Theory calculations using the Gogny or Skyrme interactions. Hence, a measurement of Bf provides a test for theories.To investigate the fission barrier, an established method is to measure the rise of fission with excitation energy, characterized by the ratio of decay widths Γfission/Γtotal, using transfer reactions. However, for heavy elements such as 254No, there is no suitable target for a transfer reaction. We therefore rely on the complementary decay widths ratio Γγ/Γfission and its spin dependence, deduced from the entry distribution (I, E∗).Measurements of the gamma-ray multiplicity and total energy for 254No have been performed with beam energies of 219 and 223 MeV in the reaction 208Pb(48Ca,2n) at ATLAS (Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System). The 254No gamma rays were detected using the Gammasphere array as a calorimeter - as well as the usual high resolution γ-ray detector. Coincidences with evaporation residues at the Fragment Mass Analyzer focal plane separated 254No gamma rays from those from fission fragments, which are > 10^6 more intense. From this measurement, the entry distribution - i.e. the initial distribution of I and E∗ - is constructed. Each point (I,E∗) of the entry distribution is a point where gamma decay wins over fission and, therefore, gives information on the fission barrier.The measured entry distributions show an increase in the maximum spin and excitation energy from 219 to 223 MeV of beam energy. The distributions show a saturation of E∗ for high spins. The saturation is attributed to the fact that, as E∗ increases above the saddle, Γfission rapidly dominates. The resulting truncation of the entry distribution at high E∗ allows a determination of the fission barrier height.The experimental entry distributions are also compared with entry distributions calculated with decay cascade codes which take into account the full nucleus formation process, including the capture process and the subsequent survival probability as a function of E∗ and I. We used the KEWPIE2 and NRV codes to simulate the entry distribution.

Le sujet de cette thèse concerne la région des transfermiums. Il s'agit des noyaux de numéro atomique supérieur à 100 qui sont intéressants pour de nombreuses raisons. Tout d'abord, cette région est encore peu connue. En effet, les noyaux deviennent de plus en plus difficiles à produire lorsque qu'ils deviennent riches en nucléons. A fur et à mesure que l’étude progresse vers les noyaux les plus lourds, il devient difficile de les produire à plus de quelques unités, voire simplement de trouver des réactions permettant de les synthétiser. C'est pourquoi ces noyaux sont, aujourd'hui, cantonnés à des recherches très minutieuses. En outre, les modèles nucléaires prédisent l’existence d’un îlot de stabilité, encore inaccessible expérimentalement, pour les noyaux super-lourds vers Z~114–126, N~184. A contrario, les études dans la région des transfermiums nous apportent des informations sur cet îlot de stabilité. Cette thèse traite principalement de la structure nucléaire de deux isotopes impairs en proton de mendélévium (Z=101) : le ²⁴⁹Md et le ²⁵¹Md. Ces deux isotopes sont déformés, ce qui nous permet d’avoir accès à des états quantiques communs avec des noyaux sphériques beaucoup plus lourds pouvant appartenir à l’îlot de stabilité. Les noyaux ont été créés à l'université de Jyväskylä en Finlande par réaction de fusion-évaporation à l'aide d'un faisceau de ⁴⁸Ca et de cibles de ²⁰³⁻²⁰⁵Tl. Les noyaux sont extraits de l’important bruit de fond des réactions parasites à l'aide du séparateur à gaz RITU grâce à la technique de corrélations génétiques. Afin d'extraire la structure nucléaire de ces noyaux, les expériences exploitent les techniques de spectroscopie gamma et électron : détecteurs Jurogam II et SAGE. Grâce à ces instruments, une partie de la structure des noyaux peut être connue. Nous nous focalisons sur des structures collectives comme les bandes rotationnelles, mais aussi d'états métastables (les isomères), ou encore les transitions à une particule. Ce travail a permis d’extraire deux bandes rotationnelles du ²⁵¹Md. Nous avons pu pour la première fois réaliser la spectroscopie électron de ce noyau ce qui nous a permis de contraindre l’assignement des orbitales nucléaires : il s’agit des têtes de bande 1/2⁻ et 7/2⁻. Nous avons également découvert un isomère du ²⁵¹Md et pu observer des transitions l’alimentant et le désexcitant. Ce travail a également permis d’ébaucher une structure collective de ²⁴⁹Md ainsi que de mesurer des propriétés de l’état fondamental. Finalement une estimation de la section efficace de production de ²⁴³Es (⁴⁸Ca + ¹⁹⁷Au) a aussi été faite afin d’évaluer la possibilité d'une future expérience. L’ensemble des données spectroscopiques est confronté à de nouveaux calculs de champs moyen de type Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov utilisant les forces de Skyrme et Gogny. Cette thèse prolonge les recherches sur la région des noyaux lourds et vient compléter les données spectroscopiques de cette région encore largement inconnue. / The subject of this thesis is the study of the transfermium nuclei region. These are nuclei having an atomic number larger than 100, which are interesting for several reasons. First of all, this region is still poorly known. Indeed, nuclei are more and more difficult to produce as soon as the number of nucleons they are made of increases. When studies move towards the heaviest elements, it becomes difficult to produce more than a few atoms, the reactions production sometimes being simply impossible. That is why these nuclei as still restricted to very thorough studies. Furthermore, nuclear models predict an island of stability for super-heavy elements with Z~114–126, N~184, which are however experimentally still out of reach. Conversely, studies in the transfermium region can provide information of this island of stability. The thesis is mainly related to the nuclear structure of two proton-odd mendelevium (Z=101) isotopes: ²⁴⁹Md and ²⁵¹Md. These isotopes are deformed, which provides access to quantum states also involved in heaviest spherical nuclei from the predicted island of stability. Nuclei were produced at the University of Jyväskylä with fusion-evaporation reactions using a ⁴⁸Ca beam on ²⁰³⁻²⁰⁵Tl targets. Mendelevium nuclei were selected from the large background of parasitic reactions using the RITU gas-filled separator and the genetic correlations technique. The nuclear structure is deduced from the gamma and electron spectroscopy. The SAGE and Jurogam II arrays have been used. These devices provide new insight into nuclei structure: we focussed on the collective structure revealed through rotational bands, on metastable states (isomers) or on single-particle transitions. In this work, two ²⁵¹Md rotational band could be highlighted. We have been able to perform for the first time the electron spectroscopy of this nucleus, which provides a constrain for the nuclear orbitals assignment. The 1/2⁻ and 7/2⁻ band-heads were assigned. We furthermore observed for the first time a ²⁵¹Md isomer with several feeding and de-exciting transitions. In this work, we could also sketch the collective structure of ²⁴⁹Md and measure some of its ground-state properties. Finally, the cross section for the ²⁴³Es production (⁴⁸Ca + ¹⁹⁷Au) was measured in order to estimate the feasibility of a future spectroscopy. Spectroscopic data are compared to new mean-field calculations. Hartee-Fock Bogoliubov calculations using the Skyrme and Gogny forces were made. This thesis is part of the ongoing research program on heavy nuclei; it provides new spectroscopic data in a region where much remains to be discovered.

Thesis (PhD (Physics))-University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A binary cluster model is used to investigate the properties of the ground state band of 212Po, modelled as a 208Pb-alpha core-cluster system. The results obtained using a microscopic corecluster potential are compared to those obtained with a purely phenomenological potential. The two potentials were found to exhibit similar surface behaviour and thus give similar predictions for the ground state alpha decay half-life. They however generate very different energy spectra, with the results from the phenomenological potential clearly superior. We optimize the phenomenological potential parameters, and propose an additional short range interaction to improve the underbinding generally found for the J¼ = 0+ ground state. We then investigate two possible scenarios for generating the negative parity states in 212Po. We find that both are necessary in order to produce low-lying negative parity states which are able to decay via electric dipole transitions to the positive parity states of the ground state band. Finally we present a novel calculation of the properties of the low-lying positive and negative parity states of 218Rn described as a doubly closed 208Pb core plus a 10Be cluster. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Binêre bondel model word gebruik om die eienskappe van die grondtoestands energie band van 212Po, te modeleer as ’n 208Pb-alpha kern-bondel sisteem te ondersoek. Die resultate verkry vanaf ’n mikroskopiese kern-bondel potentiaal word vergelyk met die wat verkry is met ’n suiwer fenomenologiese potentiaal. Die twee potentiale is verkry om dieselfde oppervlakte toestande voor te stel en gee sodoende dieselfde voorspellings vir die grondtoestand alpha verval halfleeftyd. Alhoewel dit baie verskillende energie spektra genereer, toon die resultate van die fenomenologiese potentiaal dat dit duidelik beter is. Ons optimiseer hierdie fenomenologiese parameters en stel ’n addisionele kort ry-afstands interaksie voor om die algemene ondergebondenheid wat oor die algemeen by die J¼ = 0+ grondtoestand voorkom, te verbeter. Ons ondersoek ook hierdie twee moontlike scenarios om die negatiewe pariteitstoestande in 212Po te genereer. Ons vind dat beide scenarios noodsaaklik is om laagliggende pariteitstoestande te produseer, sodat verval deur elektriese dipool oorgange na die positiewe pariteitstoestande van die grondtoestandsband moontlik is. Laagliggende positiewe en negatiewe pariteitstoestande, van die 218Rn wat beskryf word as ’n dubbelgeslote 208Pb kern en ’n 10Be bondel.

O modelo de cluster de partícula-alfa, o qual já foi bem-sucedido na descrição de dados espectroscópicos em núcleos leves próximos das duplas camadas fechadas no 16O e 40Ca, é aplicado ao núcleo 94Mo da região de massa dos meio-pesados. Para este propósito, vários estados deste núcleo são interpretados em termos de um sistema alfa + 90Zr onde um cluster-alfa interage com um caroço inerte de 90Zr através de um potencial fenomenológico local. São calculados os níveis de energia da banda do estado fundamental e as respectivas taxas de transição B(E2), havendo boa concordância com dados experimentais disponíveis. Os raios intercluster rms calculados para os níveis da banda do estado fundamental indicam que tal banda apresenta uma estrutura de cluster-alfa compacta. A comparação entre auto-funções de oscilador harmônico adaptadas ao sistema e as funções de onda radiais da banda do estado fundamental fornece a estimativa na qual há uma significativa contribuição do modelo de camadas na formação dos estados desta banda. O potencial de interação cluster-caroço faz prever a existência de uma banda de paridade negativa que se inicia a alguns MeV acima do limiar alfa + 90Zr, onde a aproximação de estado ligado é bastante apropriada. Da mesma forma, é previsto que uma banda de paridade positiva excitada se inicia logo abaixo da barreira coulombiana, mostrando uma característica típica de ressonância. / The alpha-particle cluster model, which has already been successful in describing the spectroscopic data in light nuclei near to the double shell closures at 16O and 40Ca, is applied to the 94Mo nucleus of the medium-heavy mass region. For this purpose, various states of this nucleus are interpreted in terms of an alpha + 90Zr system where an alpha-cluster interacts with an inert 90Zr core through a local phenomenological potential. The energy levels of the ground state band and the respective B(E2) transition rates are calculated, in good agreement with available experimental data. The intercluster rms radii calculated for the levels of the ground state band indicate that such band presents a compact alpha-cluster structure. The comparison between harmonic oscillator eigenfunctions adapted to the system and the radial wave functions of the ground state band provides the estimate in which there is a significant contribution of the shell model for the formation of the states of this band. The cluster-core potential predicts the existence of a negative parity band that starts at a few MeV above the alpha + 90Zr threshold, where the bound state approximation is very appropriate. In the same way, it is predicted that an excited positive parity band starts just below the Coulomb barrier, showing a typical feature of resonance.

O modelo de cluster de partícula-alfa, o qual já foi bem-sucedido na descrição de dados espectroscópicos em núcleos leves próximos das duplas camadas fechadas no 16O e 40Ca, é aplicado ao núcleo 94Mo da região de massa dos meio-pesados. Para este propósito, vários estados deste núcleo são interpretados em termos de um sistema alfa + 90Zr onde um cluster-alfa interage com um caroço inerte de 90Zr através de um potencial fenomenológico local. São calculados os níveis de energia da banda do estado fundamental e as respectivas taxas de transição B(E2), havendo boa concordância com dados experimentais disponíveis. Os raios intercluster rms calculados para os níveis da banda do estado fundamental indicam que tal banda apresenta uma estrutura de cluster-alfa compacta. A comparação entre auto-funções de oscilador harmônico adaptadas ao sistema e as funções de onda radiais da banda do estado fundamental fornece a estimativa na qual há uma significativa contribuição do modelo de camadas na formação dos estados desta banda. O potencial de interação cluster-caroço faz prever a existência de uma banda de paridade negativa que se inicia a alguns MeV acima do limiar alfa + 90Zr, onde a aproximação de estado ligado é bastante apropriada. Da mesma forma, é previsto que uma banda de paridade positiva excitada se inicia logo abaixo da barreira coulombiana, mostrando uma característica típica de ressonância. / The alpha-particle cluster model, which has already been successful in describing the spectroscopic data in light nuclei near to the double shell closures at 16O and 40Ca, is applied to the 94Mo nucleus of the medium-heavy mass region. For this purpose, various states of this nucleus are interpreted in terms of an alpha + 90Zr system where an alpha-cluster interacts with an inert 90Zr core through a local phenomenological potential. The energy levels of the ground state band and the respective B(E2) transition rates are calculated, in good agreement with available experimental data. The intercluster rms radii calculated for the levels of the ground state band indicate that such band presents a compact alpha-cluster structure. The comparison between harmonic oscillator eigenfunctions adapted to the system and the radial wave functions of the ground state band provides the estimate in which there is a significant contribution of the shell model for the formation of the states of this band. The cluster-core potential predicts the existence of a negative parity band that starts at a few MeV above the alpha + 90Zr threshold, where the bound state approximation is very appropriate. In the same way, it is predicted that an excited positive parity band starts just below the Coulomb barrier, showing a typical feature of resonance.

Les noyaux super lourds offrent la possibilité d’étudier la structure nucléaire à trois limites simultanément: en charge Z, spin I et énergie d’excitation E∗. Ces noyaux existent seulement grâce à une barrière de fission créée par les effets de couche. Il est donc important de déterminer cette barrière de fission et sa dépendance en spin Bf(I), qui nous renseigne sur l’énergie de couche Eshell(I). Les théories prédisent des valeurs différentes pour la hauteur de la barrière de fission, allant de Bf(I = 0) = 6.8 MeV dans un modèle macro-microscopique à 8.7 MeV pour des calculs de la théorie de la fonctionnelle de la densité utilisant l’interaction Gogny ou Skyrme. Une mesure de Bf fournit donc un test des théories.Pour étudier la barrière de fission, la méthode établie est de mesurer, par réaction de transfert, l’augmentation de la fission avec l’énergie d’excitation, caractérisée par le rapport des largeurs de décroissance Γfission/Γtotal,. Cependant, pour les éléments lourds comme 254No, il n’existe pas de cible appropriée pour une réaction de transfert. Il faut s’en remettre à un rapport de largeur de décroissance complémentaire: Γγ/Γfission et sa dépendance en spin, déduite de la distribution d’entrée (I, E∗).Des mesures de la multiplicité et l’énergie totale des rayons γ de254No ont été faites aux énergies de faisceau 219 et 223 MeV pour la réaction 208Pb(48Ca,2n) à ATLAS (Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System). Les rayons γ du 254No ont été détectés par le multi-détecteur Gammasphere utilisé comme calorimètre – et aussi comme détecteur de rayons γ de haute résolution. Les coïncidences avec les résidus d’évaporation au plan focal du Fragment Mass Analyzer ont permis de séparer les rayons γ du 254No de ceux issus de la fission, qui sont > 10^6 fois plus intenses. De ces mesures, la distribution d’entrée – c’est-à-dire la distribution initiale en I et E∗ – est reconstruite. Chaque point (I,E∗) de la distribution d’entrée est un point où la décroissance γ l’a emporté sur la fission, et ainsi, contient une information sur la barrière de fission.La distribution d’entrée mesurée montre une augmentation du spin maximal et de l’énergie d’excitation entre les énergies de faisceau 219 et 223 MeV. La distribution présente une saturation de E∗ à hauts spins. Cette saturation est attribuée au fait que, lorsque E∗ augmente au-dessus de la barrière, Γfission domine rapidement. Il en résulte une troncation de la distribution d’entrée à haute énergie qui permet la détermination de la hauteur de la barrière de fission.La mesure expérimentale de la distribution d’entrée est également comparée avec des distributions d’entrée calculées par des simulations de cascades de décroissance qui prennent en compte le processus de formation du noyau, incluant la capture et la survie, en fonction de E∗ et I. Dans ce travail, nous avons utilisé les codes KEWPIE2 et NRV pour simuler les distributions d’entrée. / Super heavy nuclei provide opportunities to study nuclear structure near three simultaneous limits: in charge Z, spin I and excitation energy E∗. These nuclei exist only because of a fission barrier, created by shell effects. It is therefore important to determine the fission barrier and its spin dependence Bf(I), which gives information on the shell energy Eshell(I). Theoretical calculations predict different fission barrier heights from Bf(I = 0) = 6.8 MeV for a macro-microscopic model to 8.7 MeV for Density Functional Theory calculations using the Gogny or Skyrme interactions. Hence, a measurement of Bf provides a test for theories.To investigate the fission barrier, an established method is to measure the rise of fission with excitation energy, characterized by the ratio of decay widths Γfission/Γtotal, using transfer reactions. However, for heavy elements such as 254No, there is no suitable target for a transfer reaction. We therefore rely on the complementary decay widths ratio Γγ/Γfission and its spin dependence, deduced from the entry distribution (I, E∗).Measurements of the gamma-ray multiplicity and total energy for 254No have been performed with beam energies of 219 and 223 MeV in the reaction 208Pb(48Ca,2n) at ATLAS (Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System). The 254No gamma rays were detected using the Gammasphere array as a calorimeter – as well as the usual high resolution γ-ray detector. Coincidences with evaporation residues at the Fragment Mass Analyzer focal plane separated 254No gamma rays from those from fission fragments, which are > 10^6 more intense. From this measurement, the entry distribution – i.e. the initial distribution of I and E∗ – is constructed. Each point (I,E∗) of the entry distribution is a point where gamma decay wins over fission and, therefore, gives information on the fission barrier.The measured entry distributions show an increase in the maximum spin and excitation energy from 219 to 223 MeV of beam energy. The distributions show a saturation of E∗ for high spins. The saturation is attributed to the fact that, as E∗ increases above the saddle, Γfission rapidly dominates. The resulting truncation of the entry distribution at high E∗ allows a determination of the fission barrier height.The experimental entry distributions are also compared with entry distributions calculated with decay cascade codes which take into account the full nucleus formation process, including the capture process and the subsequent survival probability as a function of E∗ and I. We used the KEWPIE2 and NRV codes to simulate the entry distribution.

No description available.

O modelo de cluster-alfa é aplicado aos núcleos de massa intermediária 90Sr, 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru e 98Pd com a Abordagem de Potencial Local. As bandas do estado fundamental dos respectivos sistemas alfa + caroço são calculadas com um único parâmetro variável, fornecendo uma boa descrição geral dos níveis experimentais. Mostra-se que o potencial alfa + caroço é fracamente dependente do momento angular L, e que tal dependência pode ser descrita de forma simples e padronizada para os cinco núcleos. O comportamento do parâmetro radial R do potencial alfa + caroço é discutido em relação ao raio do núcleo total e a soma dos raios do cluster-alfa e do caroço. As taxas de transição B(E2) reproduzem corretamente as ordens de grandeza de quase todos os dados experimentais sem o uso de cargas efetivas. A análise das separações intercluster rms e das larguras-alfa reduzidas nas bandas do estado fundamental sugere que há uma redução da intensidade de aglomeração-alfa com o aumento do spin. Uma análise complementar das bandas de estado fundamental dos núcleos 20Ne, 44Ti e 212Po aponta uma diminuição da intensidade de aglomeração-alfa com o aumento da massa nuclear, e mostra uma condição mais fraca de aglomeração-alfa para os núcleos da região do Mo em comparação com os núcleos leves. Bandas de paridade negativa são calculadas para os núcleos 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru e 98Pd e informações não relatadas anteriormente são comparadas a níveis experimentais disponíveis. A avaliação geral dos resultados indica que os núcleos com A par e N=52 na região do Mo possuem estruturas alfa + caroço com características semelhantes. / The alpha-cluster model is applied to the intermediate mass nuclei 90Sr, 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru and 98Pd with the Local Potential Approach. The ground state bands of the respective alpha + core systems are calculated with only one variable parameter, giving a good general description of the experimental data. It is shown that the alpha + core potential is weakly dependent on the angular momentum L and such dependence may be described in a simple and standardized form for the five nuclei. The behavior of the radial parameter R of the alpha + core potential is discussed in relation to the radius of the total nucleus and the sum of the radii of the alpha-cluster and the core. The calculated B(E2) transition rates reproduce correctly the orders of magnitude of almost all experimental data without the use of effective charges. The analysis of the rms intercluster separations and the reduced alpha-widths for the ground state bands suggests a reduction of the alpha-cluster intensity with the increasing spin. A complementary analysis of the ground state bands of the nuclei 20Ne, 44Ti and 212Po points to a decrease of the alpha-cluster intensity with the increasing nuclear mass, and shows a weaker alpha-cluster condition for the nuclei of the Mo region in comparison with the light nuclei. Negative parity bands are calculated for the nuclei 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru and 98Pd and previously not reported information are compared to available experimental levels. The general evaluation of the results indicates that the N=52 even-A nuclei in the Mo region have alpha + core structures with similar features.

O modelo de cluster-alfa é aplicado aos núcleos de massa intermediária 90Sr, 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru e 98Pd com a Abordagem de Potencial Local. As bandas do estado fundamental dos respectivos sistemas alfa + caroço são calculadas com um único parâmetro variável, fornecendo uma boa descrição geral dos níveis experimentais. Mostra-se que o potencial alfa + caroço é fracamente dependente do momento angular L, e que tal dependência pode ser descrita de forma simples e padronizada para os cinco núcleos. O comportamento do parâmetro radial R do potencial alfa + caroço é discutido em relação ao raio do núcleo total e a soma dos raios do cluster-alfa e do caroço. As taxas de transição B(E2) reproduzem corretamente as ordens de grandeza de quase todos os dados experimentais sem o uso de cargas efetivas. A análise das separações intercluster rms e das larguras-alfa reduzidas nas bandas do estado fundamental sugere que há uma redução da intensidade de aglomeração-alfa com o aumento do spin. Uma análise complementar das bandas de estado fundamental dos núcleos 20Ne, 44Ti e 212Po aponta uma diminuição da intensidade de aglomeração-alfa com o aumento da massa nuclear, e mostra uma condição mais fraca de aglomeração-alfa para os núcleos da região do Mo em comparação com os núcleos leves. Bandas de paridade negativa são calculadas para os núcleos 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru e 98Pd e informações não relatadas anteriormente são comparadas a níveis experimentais disponíveis. A avaliação geral dos resultados indica que os núcleos com A par e N=52 na região do Mo possuem estruturas alfa + caroço com características semelhantes. / The alpha-cluster model is applied to the intermediate mass nuclei 90Sr, 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru and 98Pd with the Local Potential Approach. The ground state bands of the respective alpha + core systems are calculated with only one variable parameter, giving a good general description of the experimental data. It is shown that the alpha + core potential is weakly dependent on the angular momentum L and such dependence may be described in a simple and standardized form for the five nuclei. The behavior of the radial parameter R of the alpha + core potential is discussed in relation to the radius of the total nucleus and the sum of the radii of the alpha-cluster and the core. The calculated B(E2) transition rates reproduce correctly the orders of magnitude of almost all experimental data without the use of effective charges. The analysis of the rms intercluster separations and the reduced alpha-widths for the ground state bands suggests a reduction of the alpha-cluster intensity with the increasing spin. A complementary analysis of the ground state bands of the nuclei 20Ne, 44Ti and 212Po points to a decrease of the alpha-cluster intensity with the increasing nuclear mass, and shows a weaker alpha-cluster condition for the nuclei of the Mo region in comparison with the light nuclei. Negative parity bands are calculated for the nuclei 92Zr, 94Mo, 96Ru and 98Pd and previously not reported information are compared to available experimental levels. The general evaluation of the results indicates that the N=52 even-A nuclei in the Mo region have alpha + core structures with similar features.