Experimental and theoretical evidence is presented that the proton exchange is strongly enhanced by a mixing of single-particle configurations in ${}_{}{}^{37}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Cl}$ (in the system ${}_{}{}^{36}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{S}$${+}^{37}$Cl, which is shown to be the clearest example of hybridization in nuclear physics. The experimental data on elastic and inelastic transfer are only reproduced if the complete set of single-particle states (${\mathit{d}}_{3/2}$,${\mathit{s}}_{1/2}$,${\mathit{f}}_{7/2}$,${\mathit{p}}_{3/2}$,${\mathit{f}}_{5/2}$, and ${\mathit{p}}_{1/2}$) is included in a coupled-reaction-channel calculation. The strong enhancement is explained by the hybridization of orbits of different parity. In a two-center molecular-orbital approach the density of the proton orbitals in the lowest state is shown to be concentrated at the center between the two ${}_{}{}^{36}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{S}$ cores.

• Received 24 June 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.70.259