TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE GIANT-DIPOLE RESONANCE IN SN-120

Complete statistical model calculations including temperature- and spi n-dependent theoretical strength functions of the giant dipole resonan ce (GDR) have been performed for the decay of excited Sn-120 for the f irst time. Previous analyses of GDR data with theoretical models compa red the centroid and full width at half maximum of the theoretical str ength functions with the extracted GDR parameters. In the new approach presented, the entire shape of the strength functions is considered a nd the theoretical spectra obtained can be directly compared with the experiment. This analysis does not rely on the accuracy of extracting the GDR parameters and/or the nuclear temperature of one data point. T he nature of the temperature dependence of the GDR in the hot Sn-120 n ucleus within the thermal fluctuation and collisional damping model is discussed in this new perspective.