Low-energy monopole and dipole response in nuclei at finite temperature

The multipole response of nuclei at temperatures T = 0-2 MeV is studied using a self-consistent finite-temperature RPA (random phase approximation) based on relativistic energy density functionals. Illustrative calculations are performed for the isoscalar monopole and isovector dipole modes and, in particular, the evolution of low-energy excitations with temperature is analyzed, including the modification of pygmy structures. Both for the monopole and dipole modes, in the temperature range T = 1-2 MeV additional transition strength appears at low energies due to thermal unblocking of single-particle orbitals close to the Fermi level. A concentration of dipole strength around 10 MeV excitation energy is predicted in Ni-60.62. The principal effect of finite temperature on low-energy strength that is already present at zero temperature, e.g. in Ni-68 and Sn-132, is the spreading of this structure to even lower energy and the appearance of states that correspond to thermally unblocked transitions. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.