Speaker
Description
Various low-energy nuclear reactions play an important role in astrophysical phenomena. In low-energy nuclear reactions, the contribution of resonance states is significant. We discuss the impacts of molecular resonances on ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C fusion and other reactions.
The ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C fusion reaction is a key in the evolution of massive stars and X-ray superbursts. However, due to the thick Coulomb barrier, the reaction has tiny cross sections, making detailed direct measurement experiments difficult. Theoretical studies are also challenging due to the need to deal with the channel coupling between the entrance channel ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C and the exit channels $\alpha + {}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ and $p + {}^{27}\mathrm{Al}$.
We estimate the ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C fusion reaction rate treating the channel coupling in the microscopic model: fragments of the ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C molecular resonance caused by the channel coupling with $\alpha + {}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ or $p + {}^{27}\mathrm{Al}$ increases the fusion reaction rate. Finite range interactions yield lower energy resonance states by the stronger attraction between ${}^{12}$C's, increasing the reaction rate at low temperatures. We also discuss the possibility of inelastic scattering to populate resonance states that are important for fusion reactions.
