We report on the first in-beam $gamma$-ray spectroscopy of uc{23}{Al} using two different reactions at intermediate beam energies: inelastic scattering off uc{9}{Be} and heavy-ion induced one-proton pickup, uc{9}{Be}( uc{22}{Mg}, uc{23}{Al}$+gamma$)X, at 75.1 MeV/nucleon. A $gamma$-ray transition at 1616(8) keV -- exceeding the proton separation energy by 1494 keV -- was observed in both reactions. From shell model and proton decay calculations we argue that this $gamma$-ray decay proceeds from the core-excited $7/2^+$ state to the $5/2^+$ ground state of uc{23}{Al}. The proposed nature of this state, $[ uc{22}{Mg}(2^+_1) otimes pi d_{5/2}]_{7/2+}$, is consistent with the presence of a gamma-branch and with the population of this state in the two reactions.
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