How close to the O(6)O(6) symmetry is the nucleus 124Xe?

Excited states in 124Xe have been studied via the 12C(124Xe, 124Xe∗) Coulomb excitation reaction. Their population cross-sections relative to the 21+ state have been determined from the γ-ray yields observed with Gammasphere. More than twenty absolute E2 strengths for seven off-yrast, low-spin states of 124Xe have been deduced for the first time. The absolute B(E2)B(E2) values indicate pronounced O(5)O(5) symmetry, even for the off-yrast states with high O(5)O(5) quantum number τ  , while the O(6)O(6) symmetry is substantially broken.