No Arabic abstract
The 12C+16O resonant radiative capture reaction has been studied at 5 bombarding energies between Elab = 15.4 and 21.4 MeV, around the Coulomb barrier, at the Triumf laboratory (Vancouver, Canada) using the Dragon 0{deg} spectrometer and the associated BGO array. The most remarquable result is the previously unobserved decay path through 28Si doorway states of energies around 12 MeV leading to the measurement of new capture cross-sections. The feeding of specific, deformed states in 28Si from the resonances is discussed, as well as the selective feeding of 1^+ T=1 states around 11 MeV.
The possible occurence of highly deformed configurations in the $^{40}$Ca di-nuclear system formed in the $^{28}$Si + $^{12}$C reaction is investigated by analyzing the spectra of emitted light charged particles. Both inclusive and exclusive measurements of the heavy fragments (A $geq$ 10) and their associated light charged particles (protons and $alpha$ particles) have been made at the IReS Strasbourg {sc VIVITRON} Tandem facility at bombarding energies of $E_{lab}$ ($^{28}$Si) = 112 MeV and 180 MeV by using the {sc ICARE} charged particle multidetector array. The energy spectra, velocity distributions, in-plane and out-of-plane angular correlations of light charged particles are compared to statistical-model calculations using a consistent set of parameters with spin-dependent level densities. This spin dependence approach suggests the onset of large nuclear deformation in $^{40}$Ca at high spin. This conclusion might be connected with the recent observation of superdeformed bands in the $^{40}$Ca nucleus. The analysis of $alpha$ particles in coincidence with $^{32}$S fragments suggests a surprisingly strong $^{8}$Be cluster emission of a binary nature.
The properties of the alpha+28Si and 16O+16O molecular states which are embedded in the excited states of 32S and can have an impact on the stellar reactions are investigated using the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics. From the analysis of the cluster spectroscopic factors, the candidates of alpha+28Si and 16O+16O molecular states are identified close to and above the cluster threshold energies. The calculated properties of the alpha+28Si molecular states are consistent with those reported by the alpha+28Siresonant scattering experiments. On the other hand, the 16O+16O molecular state, which is predicted to be identical to the superdeformation of 32S, is inconsistent with the assignment proposed by an alpha inelastic scattering experiment. Our calculation suggests that the monopole transition from the ground state to the 16O+16O molecular state is rather weak and is not strongly excited by the alpha inelastic scattering.
Charged particle and gamma decays in light alpha-like nuclei are investigated for 24Mg+12C. Various theoretical predictions for the occurence of superdeformed and hyperdeformed bands associated with resonance structures with low spin are presented. The inverse kinematics reaction 24Mg+12C is studied at Elab(24Mg) = 130 MeV. Exclusive data were collected with the Binary Reaction Spectrometer in coincidence with EUROBALL IV installed at the VIVITRON Tandem facility at Strasbourg. Specific structures with large deformation were selectively populated in binary reactions and their associated gamma decays studied. Coincident events from $alpha$-transfer channels were selected by choosing the excitation energy or the entry point via the two-body Q-values. The analysis of the binary reaction channels is presented with a particular emphasis on 20Ne-gamma and 16O-gamma coincidences.
The gamma-decay properties of 24Mg excited states are investigated in the inverse reaction 24Mg+12C at E(24Mg) = 130 MeV. At this energy the direct inelastic scattering populates a 24Mg* energy region where 12C+12C breakup resonances can occur. Very exclusive data were collected with the Binary Reaction Spectrometer (BRS) in coincidence with EUROBALL installed at the VIVITRON Tandem facility of the IReS at Strasbourg. The experimental detection system is decribed and preliminary results of binary reaction coincid data are presented.
The creation of carbon and oxygen in our universe is one of the forefront questions in nuclear astrophysics. The determination of the abundance of these elements is key to both our understanding of the formation of life on earth and to the life cycles of stars. While nearly all models of different nucleosynthesis environments are affected by the production of carbon and oxygen, a key ingredient, the precise determination of the reaction rate of 12C(a,g)16O, has long remained elusive. This is owed to the reactions inaccessibility, both experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear theory has struggled to calculate this reaction rate because the cross section is produced through different underlying nuclear mechanisms. Isospin selection rules suppress the E1 component of the ground state cross section, creating a unique situation where the E1 and E2 contributions are of nearly equal amplitudes. Experimentally there have also been great challenges. Measurements have been pushed to the limits of state of the art techniques, often developed for just these measurements. The data have been plagued by uncharacterized uncertainties, often the result of the novel measurement techniques, that have made the different results challenging to reconcile. However, the situation has markedly improved in recent years, and the desired level of uncertainty, about 10%, may be in sight. In this review the current understanding of this critical reaction is summarized. The emphasis is placed primarily on the experimental work and interpretation of the reaction data, but discussions of the theory and astrophysics are also pursued. The main goal is to summarize and clarify the current understanding of the reaction and then point the way forward to an improved determination of the reaction rate.