We report the first observation of a double isovector giant dipole state in nuclei (i.e., an isovector giant dipole resonance built on another giant dipole). Two new resonances were observed in (${\pi }^{+},{\pi }^{-}$) double charge exchange (at $T_{\pi }=292\mathrm{}$ MeV) on ${}_{}{}^{\mathrm{nat}}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{S}$ at excitation energies of 24.7 and 28.7 MeV. The energy centroid is very close to the energy at which the double dipole ($J^{\pi }=0^{+},2^{+};T=2\mathrm{}$) state is expected to appear. The angular distributions for the resonances have a clear quadrupole shape. The measured cross sections and the angular distribution agree well with a simple sequential two-step calculation in which single charge exchange through the giant dipole resonance to the double dipole is evaluated.

• Received 4 April 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.61.531