Nuclear level densities and γ-ray strength functions in samarium isotopes

The γ -strength functions and level densities in the quasicontinuum of 147 , 149 Sm isotopes have been extracted from particle- γ coincidences using the Oslo method. The nuclei of interest were populated via (p,d) reactions on pure 148 , 150 Sm targets and the reaction products were recorded by the Hyperion array. An upbend in the low-energy region of the γ SF has been observed. The systematic analysis of the γ SF for a range of Sm isotopes highlights the interplay between scissors mode and the upbend. Shell-model calculations show reasonable agreement with the experimental γ SFs and confirm the correspondence between the upbend and scissors mode