Forward nuclear glory in 12C+12C scattering.

Abstract

Very precise elastic cross sections have been measured in a very forward angular range (up to 1.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} laboratory) for the $^{12}\mathrm{C}$${+}^{12}$C system at six energies not too far above the Coulomb barrier. From these data the symmetrized nuclear scattering amplitude ${\mathit{f}}_{\mathit{N}}^{\mathit{s}}$(\ensuremath{\theta}) for small angles and the total reaction cross section ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{R}}$ could be derived making use of the generalized optical theorem for charged particles. It was found that \ensuremath{\Vert}${\mathit{f}}_{\mathit{N}}^{\mathit{s}}$(0)\ensuremath{\Vert} exceeds zero significantly in all cases investigated. This means that a forward nuclear glory exists in the $^{12}\mathrm{C}$${+}^{12}$C scattering. This is the first time that evidence for a forward nuclear glory is deduced from experimental data.