• Featured in Physics
  • Editors' Suggestion

New Measurement of the Direct 3α Decay from the C12 Hoyle State

R. Smith, Tz. Kokalova, C. Wheldon, J. E. Bishop, M. Freer, N. Curtis, and D. J. Parker
Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 132502 – Published 25 September 2017
Physics logo See Viewpoint: Watching the Hoyle State Fall Apart

Abstract

Excited states in certain atomic nuclei possess an unusual structure, where the dominant degrees of freedom are those of α clusters rather than individual nucleons. It has been proposed that the diffuse 3α system of the C12 Hoyle state may behave like a Bose-Einstein condensate, where the α clusters maintain their bosonic identities. By measuring the decay of the Hoyle state into three α particles, we obtained an upper limit for the rare direct 3α decay branch of 0.047%. This value is now at a level comparable with theoretical predictions and could be a sensitive probe of the structure of this state.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 15 May 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.132502

© 2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Nuclear Physics

Viewpoint

Key Image

Watching the Hoyle State Fall Apart

Published 25 September 2017

Two experiments provide the most precise picture to date of how an excited state of carbon decays into three helium nuclei.

See more in Physics

Authors & Affiliations

R. Smith*, Tz. Kokalova, C. Wheldon, J. E. Bishop, M. Freer, N. Curtis, and D. J. Parker

  • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom

  • *robinsmith4@hotmail.co.uk
  • t.kokalova@bham.ac.uk

See Also

High-Precision Probe of the Fully Sequential Decay Width of the Hoyle State in C12

D. Dell’Aquila et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 132501 (2017)

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 119, Iss. 13 — 29 September 2017

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×