Breakup reaction models for two- and three-cluster projectiles

Breakup reactions are one of the main tools for the study of exotic nuclei, and in particular of their continuum. In order to get valuable information from measurements, a precise reaction model coupled to a fair description of the projectile is needed. We assume that the projectile initially possesses a cluster structure, which is revealed by the dissociation process. This structure is described by a few-body Hamiltonian involving effective forces between the clusters. Within this assumption, we review various reaction models. In semiclassical models, the projectile-target relative motion is described by a classical trajectory and the reaction properties are deduced by solving a time-dependent Schroedinger equation. We then describe the principle and variants of the eikonal approximation: the dynamical eikonal approximation, the standard eikonal approximation, and a corrected version avoiding Coulomb divergence. Finally, we present the continuum-discretized coupled-channel method (CDCC), in which the Schroedinger equation is solved with the projectile continuum approximated by square-integrable states. These models are first illustrated by applications to two-cluster projectiles for studies of nuclei far from stability and of reactions useful in astrophysics. Recent extensions to three-cluster projectiles, like two-neutron halo nuclei, are then presented and discussed. We end this review with some views of the future in breakup-reaction theory.Comment: Will constitute a chapter of "Clusters in Nuclei - Vol.2." to be published as a volume of "Lecture Notes in Physics" (Springer

Experimental investigation of the 12C+12C fusion at very low energies by direct and indirect methods

The 12C+12C fusion reaction plays a crucial role during stellar evolution. The astrophysically important energy range spans from 1 MeV to 3 MeV. However, its cross section has not been determined with enough precision, despite numerous studies, due to the extremely low reaction cross sections and the large experimental background. To allow measurements of the 12C+12C fusion at astrophysical energies, we developed an efficient thick-target method using large-area silicon strip detectors. Further measurements at even lower energies will be performed using coincidences between a silicon-detector and a Ge-detector array, at the high-current accelerator under construction at the University of Notre Dame. Since the coincidence method does not allow obtaining information about the channels without gamma-ray emission, a solenoid spectrometer has been constructed for complementary measurements. Meanwhile, we are also investigating the 24Mg(α, α') reaction using the Grand Raiden Spectrometer at RCNP to search for potential resonances in the 12C+12C fusion reaction. Preliminary results from these measurements will be presented