Near and sub-barrier fusion of neutron-rich oxygen and carbon nuclei using low-intensity beams

Fusion between neutron-rich light nuclei in the crust of an accreting neutron star has been proposed as a heat source that triggers an X-ray superburst. To explore the probability with which such fusion events occur and examine their decay characteristics, an experimental program using beams of neutron-rich light nuclei has been established. Evaporation residues resulting from the fusion of oxygen and 12C nuclei, are directly measured and distinguished from unreacted beam particles on the basis of their energy and time-of-flight. Using an experimental setup developed for measurements utilizing low-intensity (< 105 ions/s) radioactive beams, the fusion excitation functions for 16O + 12C and 18O + 12C have been measured. The fusion excitation function for 18O + 12C has been measured in the sub-barrier domain down to the 820 mub level, a factor of 30 lower than previous direct measurements. This measured fusion excitation function is compared to the predictions of a density constrained time-dependent Hartree-Fock model. This comparison reveals a shape difference in the fusion excitation functions, indicating a larger tunneling probability for the experimental data as compared to the theoretical calculations. In addition to the measured cross-section, the measured angular distribution of the evaporation residues provides insight into the relative importance of the different de-excitation channels. These evaporation residue angular distributions are compared to the predictions of a statistical model code, evapOR, revealing an under-prediction of the de-excitation channels associated with alpha particle emission.