Statistical γ-decay from highly excited states is determined by the nuclear level density (NLD) and the γ-ray strength function (γSF). These average quantities have been measured for several nuclei using the Oslo method. For the first time, we exploit the NLD and γSF to evaluate the γ-width in the energy region below the neutron binding energy, often called the quasi-continuum region. The lifetimes of states in the quasi-continuum are important benchmarks for a theoretical description of nuclear structure and dynamics at high temperature. The lifetimes may also have impact on reaction rates for the rapid neutron-capture process, now demonstrated to take place in neutron star mergers.
@article{arxiv.1804.01134,
title = {Gamma-widths, lifetimes and fluctuations in the nuclear quasi-continuum},
author = {M. Guttormsen and A. C. Larsen and J. E. Midtbø and L. Crespo Campo and A. Görgen and V. W. Ingeberg and T. Renstrøm and S. Siem and G. M. Tveten and F. Zeiser and L. E. Kirsch},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1804.01134},
year = {2018}
}