Spin and Parity of the First Excited State ofNa23

Abstract
The angular distributions of the 440-kev gamma radiation resulting from the Na23(p, pγ)Na23 reaction have been measured for proton bombarding energies of 1.288 and 1.460 Mev. Decay by inelastically scattered protons is particularly favorable for these two well-isolated resonances in Mg24. The results show a marked anisotropy, thereby ruling out the possibility that the first excited state of Na23 has spin J=12. Otherwise the experiments do not permit a completely unambiguous assignment. Evidence is presented, however, showing that the most plausible assignment is J=52+.