Effects of nuclear molecular configurations on the astrophysical S-factor for 16^{16}O + 16^{16}O

The impact of nuclear molecular configurations on the astrophysical S-factor for $^{16}$O + $^{16}$O is investigated within the realistic two-center shell model based on Woods-Saxon potentials. These molecular effects refer to the formation of a neck between the interacting nuclei and the radial dependent collective mass parameter. It is demonstrated that the former is crucial to explain the current experimental data with high accuracy and without any free parameter, whilst in addition the latter predicts a pronounced maximum in the S-factor. In contrast to very recent results by Jiang et al., the S-factor does not decline towards extremely low values as energy decreases.Comment: In press in Physics Letters

A simple analytic model for astrophysical S-factors

We propose a physically transparent analytic model of astrophysical S-factors as a function of a center-of-mass energy E of colliding nuclei (below and above the Coulomb barrier) for non-resonant fusion reactions. For any given reaction, the S(E)-model contains four parameters [two of which approximate the barrier potential, U(r)]. They are easily interpolated along many reactions involving isotopes of the same elements; they give accurate practical expressions for S(E) with only several input parameters for many reactions. The model reproduces the suppression of S(E) at low energies (of astrophysical importance) due to the shape of the low-r wing of U(r). The model can be used to reconstruct U(r) from computed or measured S(E). For illustration, we parameterize our recent calculations of S(E) (using the Sao Paulo potential and the barrier penetration formalism) for 946 reactions involving stable and unstable isotopes of C, O, Ne, and Mg (with 9 parameters for all reactions involving many isotopes of the same elements, e.g., C+O). In addition, we analyze astrophysically important 12C+12C reaction, compare theoretical models with experimental data, and discuss the problem of interpolating reliably known S(E) values to low energies (E <= 2-3 MeV).Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, Phys. Rev. C, accepte

Suppression of complete fusion due to breakup in the reactions 10,11^{10,11}B + 209^{209}Bi

Above-barrier cross sections of $\alpha$-active heavy reaction products, as well as fission, were measured for the reactions of $^{10,11}$B with $^{209}$Bi. Detailed analysis showed that the heavy products include components from incomplete fusion as well as complete fusion (CF), but fission originates almost exclusively from CF. Compared with fusion calculations without breakup, the CF cross sections are suppressed by 15% for $^{10}$B and 7% for $^{11}$B. A consistent and systematic variation of the suppression of CF for reactions of the weakly bound nuclei $^{6,7}$Li, $^{9}$Be, $^{10,11}$B on targets of $^{208}$Pb and $^{209}$Bi is found as a function of the breakup threshold energy

Relating breakup and incomplete fusion of weakly-bound nuclei through a classical trajectory model with stochastic breakup

A classical dynamical model that treats break-up stochastically is presented for low energy reactions of weakly-bound nuclei. The three-dimensional model allows a consistent calculation of breakup, incomplete and complete fusion cross sections. The model is assessed by comparing the breakup observables with CDCC quantum mechanical predictions, which are found to be in reasonable agreement. Through the model, it is demonstrated that the breakup probability of the projectile as a function of its distance from the target is of primary importance for understanding complete and incomplete fusion at energies near the Coulomb barrier.Comment: Accepted in Physical Review Letter

Measurement of 1323 and 1487 keV resonances in 15N({\alpha}, {\gamma})19F with the recoil separator ERNA

The origin of fluorine is a widely debated issue. Nevertheless, the ^{15}N({\alpha},{\gamma})^{19}F reaction is a common feature among the various production channels so far proposed. Its reaction rate at relevant temperatures is determined by a number of narrow resonances together with the DC component and the tails of the two broad resonances at E_{c.m.} = 1323 and 1487 keV. Measurement through the direct detection of the 19F recoil ions with the European Recoil separator for Nuclear Astrophysics (ERNA) were performed. The reaction was initiated by a 15N beam impinging onto a 4He windowless gas target. The observed yield of the resonances at Ec.m. = 1323 and 1487 keV is used to determine their widths in the {\alpha} and {\gamma} channels. We show that a direct measurement of the cross section of the ^{15}N({\alpha},{\gamma})^{19}F reaction can be successfully obtained with the Recoil Separator ERNA, and the widths {\Gamma}_{\gamma} and {\Gamma}_{\alpha} of the two broad resonances have been determined. While a fair agreement is found with earlier determination of the widths of the 1487 keV resonance, a significant difference is found for the 1323 keV resonance {\Gamma}_{\alpha} . The revision of the widths of the two more relevant broad resonances in the 15N({\alpha},{\gamma})19F reaction presented in this work is the first step toward a more firm determination of the reaction rate. At present, the residual uncertainty at the temperatures of the ^{19}F stellar nucleosynthesis is dominated by the uncertainties affecting the Direct Capture component and the 364 keV narrow resonance, both so far investigated only through indirect experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in PR

Elastic scattering, inelastic excitation, and 1 n pick-up transfer cross sections for 10 B + 120 Sn at energies near the Coulomb barrier

The 10 B + 120 Sn reaction has been systematically studied at laboratory energies around the Coulomb barrier: E LAB = 31.5 , 33.5, 35.0, and 37.5 MeV. Cross sections for the elastic scattering and some reaction processes have been measured: excitation to the 1 + state of 10 B ; excitation to the 2 + and 3 − states of 120 Sn ; and the one-neutron pick-up transfer 120 Sn ( 10 B , 11 B ) 119 Sn . Coupled reaction channel (CRC) calculations have been performed in the context of the double-folding São Paulo potential. The theoretical calculations result in a good overall description of the experimental angular distributions. The effect on the theoretical elastic-scattering angular distributions of couplings to the inelastic and transfer states (through the CRC calculations) and to the continuum states (through continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations) has been investigated.Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia–Física Nuclear e Aplicações (INCT-FNA) 464898/2014-5Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) FIS2014-51941-P,Junta de Andalucía. FQM-160Programa de investigación e innovación de la Unión Europea Horizonte 2020. 65400

Global and consistent analysis of the heavy-ion elastic scattering and fusion processes

We have developed a model for the nuclear interaction which is based on the effects of the Pauli nonlocality. In earlier works, we have successfully used this interaction to describe the elastic scattering for several systems in a very wide energy range. In the present work, we have checked the validity of the same interaction in the description of about 2500 fusion cross section data for 165 different systems. By introducing only one energyand system-independent effective parameter, the nonlocal model describes the global behavior of the fusion process with good precision