Observation of the scissors mode in the quasicontinuum
  The experimental resonance parameters of the pygmy resonance in rare earth nuclei are compared to global parameters of the scissors-mode states. It is argued that the pygmy resonance in rare earth nuclei can be described in terms of orbital M1 strength observed in (gamma,gamma') experiments. The pygmy resonance is therefore interpreted as the scissors mode in the quasicontinuum. 
A. Schiller, M. Guttormsen, E. Melby, J. Rekstad, S. Siem, A. Voinov