• Letter

Evidence against the Efimov effect in C12 from spectroscopy and astrophysics

J. Bishop, G. V. Rogachev, S. Ahn, E. Aboud, M. Barbui, A. Bosh, J. Hooker, C. Hunt, H. Jayatissa, E. Koshchiy, R. Malecek, S. T. Marley, M. Munch, E. C. Pollacco, C. D. Pruitt, B. T. Roeder, A. Saastamoinen, L. G. Sobotka, and S. Upadhyayula
Phys. Rev. C 103, L051303 – Published 17 May 2021

Abstract

Background: The Efimov effect is a universal phenomenon in physics whereby three-body systems are stabilized via the interaction of an unbound two-body subsystems. A hypothetical state in C12 at 7.458-MeV excitation energy, comprising a loose structure of three α particles in mutual two-body resonance, has been suggested in the literature to correspond to an Efimov state in nuclear physics. The existence of such a state has not been demonstrated experimentally.

Purpose: Using a combination of γ spectroscopy, charged-particle spectroscopy, and astrophysical rate calculations allowing for strict limits on the existence of such a state to been established here.

Method: Using the combined data sets from two recent experiments, one with the TexAT (Texas Active Target) TPC (Time Projection Chamber) to measure α decay and the other with Gammasphere to measure γ decay of states in C12 populated by N12 and B12β decay, respectively, we achieve high sensitivity to states in close proximity to the α threshold in C12.

Results: No evidence of a state at 7.458 MeV is seen in either data set. Using a likelihood method, the 95% confidence limit γ-decay branching ratio is determined as a function of the β-decay feeding strength relative to the Hoyle state. In parallel, calculations of the 3α reaction rate show the inclusion of the Efimov corresponds to a large increase in the reaction rate around 5×107 K.

Conclusion: From decay spectroscopy—at the 95% confidence limit, the Efimov state cannot exist at 7.458 MeV with any γ-decay branching ratio unless the β strength is less than 0.7% of the Hoyle state. This limit is evaluated for a range of different excitation energies and the results are not favorable for existence of the hypothetical Efimov state in C12. Furthermore, the 3α reaction rate with the inclusion of a state between 7.43 and 7.53 MeV exceeds the rate required for stars to undergo the red giant phase.

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  • Received 22 December 2020
  • Revised 6 February 2021
  • Accepted 6 May 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.103.L051303

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Nuclear PhysicsGeneral Physics

Authors & Affiliations

J. Bishop1,2,*, G. V. Rogachev1,2,3, S. Ahn1,4, E. Aboud1,2, M. Barbui1, A. Bosh1,2, J. Hooker5, C. Hunt1,2, H. Jayatissa6, E. Koshchiy1, R. Malecek7, S. T. Marley7, M. Munch8, E. C. Pollacco9, C. D. Pruitt10,11, B. T. Roeder1, A. Saastamoinen1, L. G. Sobotka10, and S. Upadhyayula12

  • 1Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
  • 2Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
  • 3Nuclear Solutions Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
  • 4Center for Exotic Nuclear Studies, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea
  • 5Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
  • 6Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
  • 7Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA
  • 8Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
  • 9IRFU, CEA, Saclay, Gif-Sur-Ivette, France
  • 10Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
  • 11Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
  • 12TRIUMF, 4004 Westbrook Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 2A3, Canada

  • *jackbishop@tamu.edu

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Issue

Vol. 103, Iss. 5 — May 2021

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