The giant dipole resonance built on highly excited states - results of the MEDEA experiment

Gamma-rays, light charged particles and evaporation residues emitted from hot nuclei formed in the 36 Ar + 90 Zr reaction at 27 MeV/u have been measured with a nearly 4π barium fluoride multidetector. It is shown that hot Sn-like nuclei with a range of excitation energies between 300 and 600 MeV are produced. The γ-ray yield from the decay of the Giant Dipole Resonance in these nuclei is shown to remain constant over this excitation energy range. The measured γ-ray spectra are compared with statistical calculations encompassing several recent theoretical models for the quenching of gamma-ray emission from the dipole resonance at very high temperatures.