Large-amplitude nuclear motion formulated in terms of dissipation of quantum fluctuations

Abstract

The potential-barrier penetrability and quasi-stationary thermal-decay rate of a metastable state are formulated in terms of microscopic quantum diffusion. Apart from linear coupling in momentum between the collective and internal subsystems, the formalism embraces the more general case of linear couplings in both the momentum and the coordinates. The developed formalism is then used for describing the process of projectile-nucleus capture by a target nucleus at incident energies near and below the Coulomb barrier. The capture partial probability, which determines the cross section for formation of a dinuclear system, is derived in analytical form. The total and partial capture cross sections, mean and root-mean-square angular momenta of the formed dinuclear system, astrophysical -factors, logarithmic derivatives, and barrier distributions are derived for various reactions. Also investigated are the effects of nuclear static deformation and neutron transfer between the interacting nuclei on the capture cross section and its isotopic dependence, and the entrance-channel effects on the capture process. The results of calculations for reactions involving both spherical and deformed nuclei are in good agreement with available experimental data.