Test ofΔI=2staggering in the superdeformed bands ofHg194

The presence of $\Delta I=2\mathrm{}$ staggering in the three known superdeformed (SD) bands of ${}_{}{}^{194}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$ has been reexamined in a new experiment with Gammasphere. A relative precision of better than 60 eV was achieved for most transition energies. Staggering plots were extracted and their statistical significance was analyzed. No clear evidence was found for an extended regular $\Delta I=2\mathrm{}$ staggering in the three SD bands of ${}_{}{}^{194}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Hg}$. However, statistically significant deviations from a smooth reference were observed in the two excited SD bands. Different scenarios are discussed but no firm conclusion about the origin of the observed deviations can be drawn.