Determination of Maximum Safe Bombarding Energies and B(E3) Values in Reorientation Experiments with 204Pb, 206Pb and 208Pb

Data are presented which display the onset of Coulomb-nuclear interference in the inelastic scattering of 4He, 12C and 160 projectiles from 204Pb and 206Pb. These results have been used to determine maximum safe bombarding energies in a recent reorientation effect determination of the quadrupole moments of the first 2+ states in these nuclei. Similar data are also presented for the excitation by projectiles of the first 3 - states in 204Pb, 206Pb and 208Pb. The results are used to determine B(E3; 0+-.3-) values for the first 3- states of 204Pb and 206Pb; these are found to be remarkably similar to each other and to the corresponding value for the first 3 - state in 208Pb.