Excited states of 133 La have been investigated to search for the wobbling excitation mode in the low-spin regime. Wobbling bands with nω = 0 and 1 are identified along with the interconnecting ∆I = 1, E2 transitions, which are regarded as one of the characteristic features of the wobbling motion. An increase in wobbling frequency with spin implies longitudinal wobbling for 133 La, in contrast with the case of transverse wobbling observed in 135 Pr. This is the first observation of a longitudinal wobbling band in nuclei. The experimental observations are accounted for by calculations using the quasiparticle-triaxial-rotor (QTR) model, which attribute the appearance of longitudinal wobbling to the early alignment of a π = + proton pair.

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