On the Backbending Mechanism of ⁴⁸Cr

The mechanism of backbending in $^{48}$Cr is investigated in terms of the Projected Shell Model and the Generator Coordinate Method. It is shown that both methods are reasonable shell model truncation schemes. These two quite different quantum mechanical approaches lead to a similar conclusion that the backbending is due to a band crossing involving an excited band which is built on simultaneously broken neutron and proton pairs in the ``intruder'' subshell $f_{7/2}$. It is pointed out that this type of band crossing is usually known to cause the second backbending in rare-earth nuclei.