Is the nuclear strength function Lorentzian. Suggestions from a solvable model

In previous studies of the strength function the matrix elements of the residual interaction have been treated as the elements of a random matrix whose connection with the underlying physics was rather tenuous. Here a model consisting of one-dimensional harmonic oscillators, which has a more visualizable correspondence than random matrixes to a microscopic picture of nuclear reactions, is employed. In this model it is shown that the strength function is not Lorentzian and how it differs from a Lorentzian. The calculations suggest that preferential population of certain types of states can be expected in nuclear reactions. Attention is also drawn to the importance for heavy ion reactions of cluster states in the compound nucleus. (author)