Absence of hindrance in a microscopic C12+C12 fusion study

K. Godbey, C. Simenel, and A. S. Umar
Phys. Rev. C 100, 024619 – Published 21 August 2019

Abstract

Background: Studies of low-energy fusion of light nuclei are important in astrophysical modeling, with small variations in reaction rates having a large impact on nucleosynthesis yields. Due to the lack of experimental data at astrophysical energies, extrapolation and microscopic methods are needed to model fusion probabilities.

Purpose: To investigate deep sub-barrier C12+C12 fusion cross sections and establish trends for the S factor.

Method: Microscopic methods based on static Hartree-Fock and time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) mean-field theory are used to obtain C12+C12 ion-ion fusion potentials. Fusion cross sections and astrophysical S factors are then calculated using the incoming wave boundary condition method.

Results: Both density-constrained frozen Hartree-Fock (DCFHF) and density-constrained TDHF (DC-TDHF) predict a rising S factor at low energies, with DC-TDHF predicting a slight damping in the deep sub-barrier region (1 MeV). Comparison between DC-TDHF calculations and maximum experimental cross sections in the resonance peaks are good. However, the discrepancy in experimental low-energy results inhibits interpretation of the trend.

Conclusions: Using the fully microscopic DCFHF and DC-TDHF methods, no S factor maximum is observed in the C12+C12 fusion reaction. In addition, no extreme sub-barrier hindrance is predicted at low energies. The development of a microscopic theory of fusion including resonance effects, as well as further experiments at lower energies must be done before the deep sub-barrier behavior of the reaction can be established.

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  • Received 5 June 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.100.024619

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Nuclear Physics

Authors & Affiliations

K. Godbey1,*, C. Simenel2,†, and A. S. Umar1,‡

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
  • 2Department of Theoretical Physics and Department of Nuclear Physics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

  • *kyle.s.godbey@vanderbilt.edu
  • cedric.simenel@anu.edu.au
  • sait.a.umar@vanderbilt.edu

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Issue

Vol. 100, Iss. 2 — August 2019

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