We have measured the single and correlated magnetic-substate population parameters for the $2^{+}$ and $2^{+}$-$2^{+}$ excitations in ${}_{}{}^{24}{}_{}{}^{}$Mg${+\mathrm{}}^{24}$Mg in the region of two strong resonances seen in inelastic scattering. We interpret our data in terms of an isolated resonance decaying through one preferred l value in both the $2^{+}$ and $2^{+}$-$2^{+}$ channels. Our data suggest a spin assignment of $J^{\pi }$${=36\mathrm{}}^{+}$ for the resonance at $E_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.\mathrm{}=45.70\mathrm{}}$ MeV, and a value of l=34 for the grazing angular momentum for both the single and mutual inelastic-scattering channels.

• Received 15 December 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.58.1312