Lifetime Measurements in 178Hf

Lifetimes of levels from Kπ = 2+, Kπ = 4+ and several Kπ = 0+ bands have been measured in the 178Hf nucleus using the GRID technique. Lifetimes of the 2+ and 3+ levels were measured within the Kπ = 2+ γ band. A lower limit was established for the lifetime of the 4+ level of the Kπ = 4+ band. The resulting upper limits for the absolute B(E2) values exclude collective transitions from the Kπ = 4+ to the ground state band but not to the Kπ = 2+ γ band. Level lifetimes were also measured for several states within three separate Kπ = 0+ bands. Evidence is presented for a previously unobserved case of two excited Kπ = 0+ bands being connected via collective E2 transitions.