Kulgam/Shopian: Faculty members from Government Degree College (GDC) Kulgam and Government Degree College (GDC) Shopian have achieved a major academic milestone with the publication of their collaborative research in Physical Review Letters (PRL), one of the world’s most prestigious and selective journals in physics.
The research paper, authored by Dr. Sheikh Jehangir Ahmad of the Department of Physics, GDC Kulgam, and Dr. Gowhar Hussain Bhat of the Department of Physics, GDC Shopian, along with Prof. Sheikh Javid Ahmad and an international team of scientists, has been accepted by PRL, a journal renowned for publishing pioneering work in physics, including studies that have later led to Nobel Prize–winning discoveries.
The study reports the first-ever observation of multi-phonon gamma (γ) vibrational bands in an odd–odd nucleus (¹⁰⁴Nb). This breakthrough offers new insights into nuclear structure by explaining how unpaired protons and neutrons affect collective motion, triaxial deformation, and shape coexistence within atomic nuclei.
The experimental findings are strongly supported by advanced theoretical frameworks, including the triaxial projected shell model and tilted-axis cranking calculations. The research was conducted using world-class experimental facilities and involved collaboration with leading institutions such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA), GANIL (France), Vanderbilt University (USA), Shandong University (China), Université de Lyon/CNRS (France), and VECC Kolkata (India), underscoring the global and collaborative nature of the work.
The authors have acknowledged the consistent encouragement and institutional support extended by the Principal of GDC Kulgam, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Abbas Shah, and the Principal of GDC Shopian, Prof. (Dr.) Mohd Shafiq. They credited their leadership and commitment to strengthening research culture as key factors behind this achievement.
The publication marks a significant step forward for government degree colleges in the region, reflecting the growing research ecosystem and academic rigour within these institutions. The accomplishment is being hailed as a moment of pride not only for GDC Kulgam and GDC Shopian but also for the broader academic and scientific community of Jammu and Kashmir.
