Abstract
For a large number of nuclei in the 3s giant resonance region (40 < A < 70) studied experimentally at the Karlsruhe pulsed 3 MV Van de Graaff accelerator total radiation widths have been calculated by means of the valence capture model and compared with the experimental results. Systematic trends of the validity of this model have been investigated. It was found that valence capture plays only a limited role in the mass region 40 < A < 70