E0 strength distributions in 90 Zr, 116 Sn, 144 Sm, and 208 Pb have been measured with inelastic scattering of 240-MeV a particles between 0 ± # u lab # 6 ± to greater precision than previously available. In Sn, Sm, and Pb, E0 strength was concentrated in approximately symmetric peaks, whereas in 90 Zr it had a significant high energy tail. Comparing with microscopic calculations using the Gogny interaction, these and our previously reported results for 40 Ca are consistent with a nuclear matter incompressibility of 231 6 5 MeV. Previous data gave an average of 215 MeV and the value for different nuclei disagreed by up to 40 MeV. [S0031-9007(98)08291-X] PACS numbers: 25.55.Ci, 24.30.Cz, 27.60. + j, 27.80. + w 0031-9007͞99͞82(4)͞691(4)$15.00

The giant resonance region from 10 MeVϽ E x Ͻ 55 MeV in 90 Zr has been studied with inelastic scattering of 240 MeV ␣ particles at small angles including 0°. The isoscalar monopole resonance was found to contain 100± 12% of the E0 energy weighted sum rule with a centroid of ͑17.81+ 0.32− 0.20͒ MeV. Eighty one percent of the isoscalar E1 energy weighted sum rule was located in two peaks having E x = ͑17.1± 0.4͒ and ͑26.7± 0.5͒ MeV, ⌫ = ͑5.4± 0.3͒ and ͑8.8± 1.0͒ MeV, and containing 13± 3% and 70± 10%, respectively, of the E1 energy weighted sum rule.

The differential cross sections for the reactions 9 Be(10 B, 10 B) 9 Be and 9 Be(10 B, 9 Be) 10 B have been measured at an incident energy of 100 MeV. The elastic scattering data have been used to determine the optical model parameters for the 9 Beϩ 10 B system at this energy. These parameters are then used in distorted-wave Born approximation ͑DWBA͒ calculations to predict the cross sections of the 9 Be(10 B, 9 Be) 10 B proton exchange reaction, populating the ground and low-lying states in 10 B. By normalizing the theoretical DWBA proton exchange cross sections to the experimental ones, the asymptotic normalization coefficients ͑ANC's͒, defining the normalization of the tail of the 10 B bound state wave functions in the two-particle channel 9 Beϩp, have been found. The ANC for the virtual decay 10 B(g.s.)→ 9 Beϩp will be used in an analysis of the 10 B(7 Be, 8 B) 9 Be reaction to extract the ANC's for 8 B→ 7 Beϩp. These ANC's determine the normalization of the 7 Be(p,␥) 8 B radiative capture cross section at very low energies, which is crucially important for nuclear astrophysics. ͓S0556-2813͑97͒02109-2͔

The giant resonance region in 24 Mg was studied with inelastic scattering of 240 MeV ␣ particles at small angles including 0°. The giant resonance peak was found to extend up to E X ϭ41 MeV. Isoscalar E0, E1, and E2 strength corresponding to 72Ϯ10%, 81 Ϫ14 ϩ26 %, and 72Ϯ10% of the respective energy weighted sum rules was identified in the peak with centroids of 21.0Ϯ0.6, 18.8Ϯ1.7, and 16.9Ϯ0.6 MeV and rms widths of 7.3 Ϯ1.2, 6.7Ϯ1.0, and 3.4Ϯ0.5 MeV, respectively. Elastic scattering was measured from c.m. ϭ3°to 33°and density dependent folding model parameters obtained.

The excitation region in 12 C below E x ϭ45 MeV was studied using 240 MeV ␣-particle scattering. Elastic scattering was measured from c.m. ϭ3.8°to 49.4°and density dependant folding optical model parameters were obtained. Inelastic scattering to the 4.44 MeV 2 ϩ , 7.65 MeV 0 ϩ , 9.64 MeV 3 Ϫ , 10.3 MeV 0 ϩ , and 10.84 MeV 1 Ϫ states was measured and B(EL) values obtained. Inelastic scattering exciting 12 C to 10 MeVрE x р12.5 MeV was measured from 1.4°р c.m. р10°and to 12.5 MeVрE x р45 MeV from 1.4°р c.m. р16°and E0, E1, E2, and E3 strength distributions were obtained. Strength was identified corresponding to 27Ϯ5, 78Ϯ9, and 51Ϯ7% of the isoscalar E0, E1, and E2 energy weighted sum rule ͑EWSR͒, respectively, with centroids of 21.9Ϯ0.3, 27.5Ϯ0.4, and 22.6Ϯ0.5 MeV and rms widths of 4.8Ϯ0.5, 7.6Ϯ0.6, and 6.8Ϯ0.6 MeV. Less than 7% of the E3 EWSR strength was identified.