Detailed spectroscopy measurements have been made of the gamma rays that follow the deexcitation of ${}_{}{}^{168}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Er}$ levels populated in the electron capture decay of ${}_{}{}^{168}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Tm}$. These results, when combined with a reanalysis of Coulomb excitation and inelastic scattering data, provide level lifetime information and support octupole-state Coriolis-coupling calculations. The {[521 (1/2)][633 (7/2)]} two-neutron configurational pair deexcitation rates are compared and some evidence for K mixing among the octupole bands is presented.

• Received 28 October 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.35.1468