Reference database for photon strength functions

Goriely, S.*; Dimitriou, P.*; Wiedeking, M.*; Belgya, T.*; Firestone, R.*; Kopecky, J.*; Krtika, M.*; Plujko, V.*; Schwengner, R.*; Siem, S.*; Utsunomiya, Hiroaki*; Hilaire, S.*; Pru, S.*; Cho, Y. S.*; Filipescu, D. M.*; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki  ; Kawano, Toshihiko*; Varlamov, V.*; Xu, R.*

We report on a coordinated and systematic effort to compile and assess all the existing experimental data on photon strength functions extracted from photoabsorption cross sections in the region of the Giant Dipole Resonance and from neutron-, photon- and charged-particle-induced reactions at energies around or below the neutron separation energy. We also present global empirical and microscopic models that describe the photon strength function in the entire photon energy region and reproduce reasonably well most of the existing experimental data. Finally, we recommend photon strength functions for use in basic sciences and applications. The compilation of experimental photon strengths as well as the recommended model calculations are readily available to the user community from a dedicated database hosted at the IAEA.