Radiative strength functions (RSFs) in 93−98 Mo have been extracted using the ( 3 He,αγ) and ( 3 He, 3 He ′ γ) reactions. The RSFs are U-shaped as function of γ energy with a minimum at around Eγ = 3 MeV. The minimum values increase with neutron number due to the increase in the lowenergy tail of the giant electric dipole resonance with nuclear deformation. The unexpected strong increase in strength below Eγ = 3 MeV, here called soft pole, is established for all 93−98 Mo isotopes. The soft pole is present at all initial excitation energies in the 5 − 8 MeV region.

The level density at low spin in the 161,162-Dy and 171,172-Yb nuclei has been extracted from primary gamma rays. The nuclear heat capacity is deduced within the framework of the canonical ensemble. The heat capacity exhibits an S-formed shape as a function of temperature, which is interpreted as a fingerprint of the phase transition from a strongly correlated to an uncorrelated phase. The critical temperature for the quenching of pair correlations is found at Tc=0.50(4) MeV.Comment: 8 pages including 4 figures, different method to extract Tc, different figures, text partly rewritte

The density of accessible levels in the ( 3 He,αγ) reaction has been extracted for the 162 Dy, 166 Er and 172 Yb nuclei. The nuclear temperature is measured as a function of excitation energy in the region of 0 -6 MeV. The temperature curves reveal structures indicating new degrees of freedom. The heat capacity of the nuclear system is discussed within the framework of a canonical ensemble. PACS number(s): 21.10. Ma, 23.20.Lv, 24.10.Pa, 25.55.Hp, 27.70.+q Typeset using REVT E X 1

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The level densities and radiative strength functions (RSFs) of 50,51 V have been extracted using the ( 3 He,αγ) and ( 3 He, 3 He ′ γ) reactions, respectively. From the level densities, microcanonical entropies are deduced. The high γ-energy part of the measured RSF fits well with the tail of the giant electric dipole resonance. A significant enhancement over the predicted strength in the region of Eγ < ∼ 3 MeV is seen, which at present has no theoretical explanation.