Giant dipole resonance in highly excited nuclei

The evolution of the giant dipole resonance's (GDR) width and shape at finite temperature $T$ and angular momentum $J$ is described within the framework of the phonon damping model (PDM). The PDM description is compared with the established experimental systematics obtained from heavy-ion fusion and inelastic scattering of light particles on heavy target nuclei, as well as with predictions by other theoretical approaches. Extended to include the effect of angular momentum $J$, its strength functions have been averaged over the probability distributions of $T$ and $J$ for the heavy-ion fusion-evaporation reaction, which forms the compound nucleus $^{88}$Mo at high $T$ and $J$. The results of theoretical predictions are found in excellent agreement with the experimental data. The predictions by PDM and the heavy-ion fusion data are also employed to predict the viscosity of hot medium and heavy nuclei.