Multistep rotational energy correlations probed by high fold gamma coincidence data

The number of discrete rotational bands in the nucleus 168Yb is obtained by a fluctuation analysis of the rotational ridge structure in double and triple γ coincidence matrices. The data are compared with cranked shell model calculations including a surface delta interaction. It is found that the number of calculated bands strongly depends on the interaction strength V0, and agreement between data and calculations supports the standard value V0=27.5/A MeV.