Structure of the Hf nucleus in high rotational states.

The values of the moment of inertia of the ground-state band of (168)Hf from J = 0(+) to 22(+) are interpreted as involving a revolving cluster with composition increasing steadily from p(10.5)n(14) to p(20.5)n(24), with radius of revolution 6.390 fm. The excited bands from 14(+) to 34(+), 21(-) to 33(-), and 18(-) to 30(-) have nearly the same very large moment of inertia. It is interpreted as involving two caps, each consisting of 11 tritons, on opposite sides of the nearly doubly magic sphere p(50)n(52), the value of the radius of revolution being 6.445 fm.