Lifetime measurements of excited states in 57Mn

Excited states in 57Mn are populated using the 55Mn(18O, 16O) 57Mn two-neutron transfer reaction at the FN tandem accelerator in Cologne. Lifetimes of excited nuclear states in 57Mn were determined utilizing the Doppler-shift attenuation method. A comparison between experiment and shell-model theory was made for excitation energies and reduced transition strengths along the odd-Z isotopes Sc, V, Mn, and Co. The new results on transition strengths in 57Mn are described well by the standard interactions GXPF1A and KB3G. The development along the N = 32 isotones for these odd-Z nuclei and discrepancies between experiment and theory are discussed.