The new neutron deficient isotope ${}^{212}$Pa has been produced in the ${}^{182}\mathrm{W}{(}^{35}\mathrm{Cl},5n)$ reaction at a beam energy of 182.5 MeV. Evaporation residues have been separated with the JAERI recoil mass separator and identified on the basis of time- and position-correlated $\alpha$-decay chains. The $\alpha$ decay from the ground state of ${}^{212}$Pa has been observed with an $\alpha$-particle energy of 8.270(30) MeV and a half-life of 5.1${}_{-1.9}^{+6.1\mathrm{}}$ ms.

• Received 13 November 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.55.1555