Thorough γ-ray and particle decay investigations of Ni58

The combined data from three fusion-evaporation reaction experiments have been utilized to investigate the semi-magic nucleus 2858Ni30. To detect γ rays in coincidence with evaporated particles, the Ge-detector array Gammasphere was used in conjunction with the charged-particle detectors Microball and LuWuSiA (the Lund Washington University Silicon Array), and a neutron detector array. The results yield a significantly extended level scheme of Ni58 comprising some 340 γ-ray transitions and include a total of at least 14 discrete particle decays into excited states of the daughter nuclei Fe54 and Co57. The level scheme is compared with large-scale shell-model calculations and cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations.