Possible mechanisms of fragmentation of 16O nuclei with a momentum of 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon in track emulsions

The angular distributions of doubly charged fragments of ¹⁶O nuclei having a momentum of 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon and interacting with track-emulsion nuclei were studied. The experimental angular distributions of doubly charged fragments of a ¹⁶O nucleus are not described by the statistical model of the fragmentation of nuclei. The possible channels of fragmentation of ¹⁶O nuclei may include ¹⁶O → 2⁸Be → 4α, ¹⁶O → ⁸Be +⁸ Be* → 4α, ¹⁶O → 2⁸Be* → 4α, ¹⁶O → α+¹²C, ¹⁶O → α +¹²C* → α + 3α, ¹⁶O → α +¹²C* → α + pα ⁷Li, ¹⁶O → α +¹²C* → α + 2⁶Li, ¹⁶O → α +¹²C* → α + pt2α, ¹⁶O → Li + B, and ¹⁶O → Li* + B*.     

Elastic deuteron scattering on 12C and 16O nuclei in the alpha-cluster model

On the basis of the dispersive alpha-cluster model for target nuclei and the theory of multiple diffractive scattering, differential cross sections and analyzing powers for the elastic scattering of 400 and 700-MeV deuterons on ¹²C and ¹⁶O target nuclei were calculated in the pointlike-deuteron approximation. In these calculations, the amplitude for incident-deuteron scattering on nuclei was constructed with the aid of amplitudes for dα scattering that were obtained from a fit to data on d ¹⁶O scattering. The same features were calculated on the basis of the diffraction approximation with allowance for the internal deuteron structure by using the amplitudes obtained earlier for nucleon scattering on ¹²C and ¹⁶O nuclei within the same dispersive alpha-clustermodel. The latter made it possible to perform calculations without employing adjustable parameters. The observables calculated on the basis of either approach agree with available experimental data.     

The antiproton-nucleus elastic scattering and the alpha-cluster model with dispersion

The elastic scattering differential cross sections of intermediate energy antiprotons on¹²C and¹⁶O nuclei and the elastic scattering polarization observables of antiprotons on these nuclei have been calculated on the basis of theα-cluster model with dispersion and multiple diffraction theory. The results of these calculations are compared with the experimental data.     

Resonance States and Alpha Condensation in 12C and 16O

Low density states near the 3α and 4α breakup thresholds in ¹²C and ¹⁶O, respectively, are discussed in terms of the α-particle condensation. Calculations are performed in Orthogonality Condition Model and Tohsaki–Horiuchi–Schuck–Röpke approaches. The ${0_2^+}$ state in ¹²C and the ${0_6^+}$ state in ¹⁶O are shown to have dilute density structures and give strong enhancement of the occupation of the S-state c.o.m. orbital of the α-particles. The possibility of the existence of α-particle condensed states in heavier nα nuclei is also discussed.     

16O, 24, 26Mg, 28Si, 32S, 40Ca(α, 12C) and multi-α-cluster transfer reactions

The (α, ¹²C) reaction has been studied on a variety of nuclei, A = 16 to 40, at E_α = 90.3 MeV. The data indicate a rapid fall-off of cross sections with increasing target mass, approximately as A_t^{?5 ± 1}. This and other systematics are used to estimate cross sections for multi-α-cluster transfer reactions in heavy nuclei and suggest σ_T < 10^?34 cm² consistent with present experimental limits. The data for ²⁴Mg(α, ¹²C)¹⁶O has been studied in more detail and indicates a selective population of final states including ¹⁶O g.s., with oscillatory angular distributions in some instances. Finite-range distorted-wave Born approximation calculations for direct ⁸Be pickup have been performed utilizing cluster overlap amplitudes obtained with zero-order SU(3) wave functions. The calculations are in qualitative, and often quantitative, agreement with shapes and absolute magnitudes of the measured angular distributions although the cross sections for certain α-cluster states (2⁺, E_x ≈ 7 MeV; 4⁺, E_x ≈ 10.3 MeV) are greatly overestimated with this model. Other more complicated mechanisms, such as successive α-transfer, cannot be excluded. The systematics of the calculated ⁸Be cluster overlaps and the calculated and measured (α, ¹²C) cross sections are investigated, and implications for multi-α-cluster transfer reactions are discussed.     

Measurement and folding-potential analysis of the elastic α-scattering on light nuclei

Differential cross sections ofα-elastic scattering have been measured for the target nuclei¹¹B,¹²C,¹³C,¹⁴N,¹⁵N, and¹⁶O atE=48.7 and 54.1 MeV and for the nuclei¹⁷O,¹⁸O, and²⁰Ne atE=54.1 MeV. The experimental results were analysed in terms of the optical model using different complex potentials. Special emphasis is given to the application of the double-folding approach for the real part of the potential. The imaginary part is expressed in terms of Fourier-Bessel functions. Differential cross sections for theα-¹⁶O scattering over a wide energy range and for the elasticα-scattering for nuclei in the mass rangeA=11 up toA=24 atE=54.1 MeV are analysed by this method. A close correlation between the absorptive part of the potential and nuclear deformation is observed.     

Measurement of spin-alignment of excited12C2+ nuclei in interactions of16O with12C usingγ-decay in flight

Measuring energy spectra of nuclei afterγ-decay of excited states in flight the spin alignment of¹²C₂₊ states has been measured. Inelastic scattering,¹⁶O(¹⁶C,¹²C₂₊)¹⁶O and the reaction¹²C(¹⁶O,¹²C₂₊)¹⁶O leading to¹²C₂₊ (4.43 MeV) state have been studied. Characteristic line shapes of the¹²C₂₊ peak were observed using a Q3D magnetic spectrometer. The magnetic substate (m-states) population has been deduced from the spectra as function of reaction angle. A comparison of the measuredm-state population with reaction models shows that the first reaction is consistent with inelastic scattering although discrepancies remain. Discrepancies are also obtained if the reaction¹²C(¹⁶O,¹²C₂₊)¹⁶O is interpreted using a FRDWBA transfer calculation. At least 1/3 of the cross section can be attributed toα-transfer. A calculation which couples transfer and inelastic scattering channels seems to be necessary.     

High-density QCD phase transitions inside neutron stars: Glitches and gravitational waves

In this article, the cluster–cluster interaction between α-clusters in ¹⁶O and ²⁰Ne is studied theoretically. Using the generalized Nikiforov–Uvarov (NU) technique, the clusterization energy for these nuclei is calculated. Based on the obtained results, one can find out that the clustering phenomenon does not take place neither at the ground state, nor at the excited states of these nuclei and it is more probable at energies among excited levels. It is shown that the formulation presented for the clustering phenomenon reproduces the results obtained in previous experimental and theoretical attempts. It is worth mentioning that the consistency of the results with the previous experimental and theoretical predictions for clustering phenomenon in ¹⁶O and ²⁰Ne indicates the reliability of this formulation for various types of light α-conjugate nuclei, such as ⁸Be, ¹²C, ²⁴Mg and so on.     

Two proton transfer reactions between pairing rotational states with 104 MeV16O on142Nd,144Sm,148Sm and152Sm

(¹⁶O,¹⁴C) reactions on target nuclei with open proton shells, which are members of protonpairing rotational bands have been studied. For all target nuclei strong transitions to the ground states are observed. The reduced groundstate transition strength's (after removal ofQ-value dependence) are almost equal for all four target nuclei. Additional data on (¹⁶O,¹⁵N), (¹⁶O,¹³C) and (¹⁶O,¹²C) reactions are used to discuss the enhancement in the two proton transfer.     

R-matrix analysis of the 12C(α, γ)16O reaction

The problems involved in extrapolating the ¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O cross section to stellar energies are investigated. In the R-matrix formalism used, the extrapolated cross section is shown to be approximately independent of the interaction radius and the boundary condition number. Simultaneously good fits to recent ¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O data and the ¹²C + α elastic scattering p-wave phase shift are shown.     

Search for highly deformed shape isomers in 28Si, 24Mg and 20Ne linked by successive alpha decays

Measurements of the ¹²C(¹⁶O,²⁰Neα)α, ¹²C(¹⁶O,αα)²⁰Ne, ¹²C(¹⁶O,⁸Be)²⁰Ne and ¹²C(¹⁶O,¹⁶Oα)⁸Be reactions have been performed at E_c.m. = 27.0 MeV. For decays proceeding through resonant states in the intermediate ²⁴Mg nucleus, angular correlation measurements have enabled spin assignments to be made and the dominant entrance channel angular momentum to be determined. The results are inconsistent with recent similar experiments which were interpreted as arising from successive α-decays from deformed shape isomeric states in ²⁸Si and ²⁴Mg.     

Shallow folding potential for O + C elastic scattering

The ¹⁶O + ¹²C elastic scattering data have been well described, for the first time, with a shallow folded potential obtained from a single folding method. The constituent parameters of the potential, excepting one, for its real part are generated from the nucleon–¹⁶O and α–¹⁶O potentials, and the cluster structure of ¹²C. Only the repulsive part of the α–¹⁶O potential needs some adjustment to fit the data, reflecting the need to include the Pauli exclusion effects among the unclustered nucleons.     

Energy and angular momentum dependence of heavy ion optical potentials

The influence of bombarding energy and angular momentum on the depth and shape of the real part of the optical ion-ion potential is studied in a model which uses oscillator wave functions for the ground states of the interacting nuclei and takes into account the relative motion of the nuclei by a multiplication with a plane wave factor. The calculations were done for α+α,¹⁶O+¹⁶ O,⁴⁰Ca+⁴⁰Ca,α +¹⁶O,α +⁴⁰Ca and¹⁶ O +⁴⁰Ca with the Skyrme force as interaction.     

The K-matrix parametrization of the 12C(α, γ)16O cross section

The experimental data on the El part of the ¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O cross section and the l = 1 phase shift of ¹²C(α, α)¹²C are analyzed in terms of a two-channel, two-level approximation of a modified K-matrix. The latter allows a unitary parametrization, avoids computing Coulomb wave functions and does not require introducing channel radii; at low energies, it differs very little from the conventional K-matrix. Simple results are obtained which allow the extrapolation of the ¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O cross section to lower energies of astrophysical interest (E_α(c.m.) ≈ 300 keV). Our results are compared with those of other parametrizations and suggestions are made to improve the uncertainties resulting from the best data presently available.     

Nuclear reaction rate in Debye-Hückel electrolytic plasma in stellar interiors

The transmission probability of charged particle reactions in a stellar plasma is examined by considering the effective potential between the interacting charges as having an exponential factor in the Coulomb term arising out of the spherical distribution of electrons with its uniform background of positive charges (Debye-Hückel electrolyte). The expression for the ratio of this transmission probability to that due to pure Coulomb field, called the enhancement factor, is then obtained. Thermonuclear reactions of astrophysical interest such as¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O and¹⁶O(α, γ)²⁰ Ne are then considered. Our enhancement factor in the¹²C(α, γ)¹⁶O reaction rate is found to agree reasonably well with those calculated from the expression given by Alastuey and Jancovici.     

Analysis of alpha-cluster transfer in O + C and C + O at energies near Coulomb barrier

The aim of this work is to track the phenomenon of α-cluster transfer mechanism at low energies 1.25, 1.5 and 1.75 MeV/n, close to the Coulomb barrier energy for ¹²C(¹⁶O, ¹²C)¹⁶O and ¹⁶O(¹²C, ¹⁶O)¹²C nuclear systems. The measurements of the angular distribution show a significant increase in the differential cross section at large angles due to alpha-transfer mechanism. The optical model code SPI-GENOA could be used effectively for fitting the experimental data with the theoretical predictions nearly up to angle 90°, where the differential cross section decreases steadily with increasing the scattering angle. For the second hemisphere, at angles greater than 100°, there is a large increase in cross section due to the contribution of α-transfer mechanism, and the Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) method could be used effectively for fitting the experimental data with the theoretical predictions at this region using (DWUCK5) code.     

The (d, 6Li) reaction on 12C, 16O, 24Mg, 40Ca and 58Ni at 54.25 MeV

The (d, ⁶Li) reaction was studied at E_d = 54.25 MeV on the target nuclei ¹²C, ¹⁶O, ²⁴Mg, ⁴⁰Ca and ⁵⁸Ni. The data were analyzed with finite-range DWBA calculations. The absolute values of the α-cluster spectroscopic factors and the target mass dependence of the relative S_α were in agreement with those in the (p, pα) reaction at E_p = 100 and 157 MeV. The theoretical calculations of the relative S_α were in better agreement with the experimental data at higher energy than at the lower energies.     

16O nucleus in the 4α cluster model

The ¹⁶O nucleus is treated as a bound state of the four-alpha-particle system showing 3α + α clustering. The pair interaction of the alpha particles involved is simulated by a phenomenological potential. Additional three-particle potentials are introduced in order that the entire system and its three-particle subsystems be bound. The parameters of these potentials are determined by fitting the experimental values of the binding energies and the root-mean-square radii of the ¹²C and ¹⁶O nuclei. The calculations are performed on the basis of the s-wave differential equations for the Faddeev and Yakubovsky components. The ground and the first excited state of the ¹⁶O nucleus are investigated. The most probable spatial arrangement of the alpha-particle clusters in the system is determined. The charge form factors are calculated for the ¹²C and ¹⁶O nuclei. The results of our model calculations comply well with experimental data.