Abstract
Recent progress in a quantitative study of the 12 C+ 12 C sub-Coulomb fusion is reported. It is carried out using full-dimensional, time-dependent wave-packet dynamics, a quantum reaction model that has not been much exploited in nuclear physics, unlike in chemical physics. The low-energy collision is described in the rotating center-of-mass frame within a nuclear molecular picture. A collective Hamiltonian drives the time propagation of the wave-packet through the collective potential-energy landscape that is calculated with a real- istic two-center shell model. Among other preliminary results, the theoretical sub-Coulomb fusion resonances for 12 C+ 12 C seem to correspond well with observations. The method appears to be useful for expanding the cross-section predictions towards stellar energies.
Highlights
The physics of low-energy nuclear reactions is crucial for understanding the chemical evolution of the Universe [1]
The 12C + 12C fusion at energies near the Gamow peak (∼ 1.5 MeV) plays a key role in the stellar carbon burning, whose cross section is commonly determined by extrapolating high-energy fusion data [2,3,4]
The theoretical fusion excitation curves are smooth, without resonant structures. This feature seems to be due to the use of a strong absorption model that does not include the physics of intermediate structure [10]
Summary
The physics of low-energy nuclear reactions is crucial for understanding the chemical evolution of the Universe [1]. The theoretical fusion excitation curves are smooth, without resonant structures This feature seems to be due to the use of a strong absorption model that does not include the physics of intermediate structure (nuclear molecule) [10]. The 12C + 12C nuclear molecule can populate quasi-stationary (doorway) states belonging to the shallow potential pockets of the non-axial symmetric configurations. These doorway states may decay into scattering states, instead of feeding fusion, as the 12C nuclei largely keep their individuality within the molecule [13].
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