Work

Quantum dynamical microscopic approach to stellar carbon burning

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The process of carbon burning is vital to understanding late stage stellar evolution of massive stars and the conditions of certain supernovae. Carbon burning is a complex problem, involving quantum tunnelling and nuclear molecular states. Quantum dynamical calculations of carbon burning are presented, combining the time-dependent wave-packet method and the density-constrained time-dependent Hartree-Fock (DC-TDHF) approach. We demonstrate that the state-of-the-art DC-TDHF interaction potential successfully explains the appearance of some resonant structures in the sub-barrier fusion cross-section. We study the dynamic response of the compound nucleus to further explain resonant structure seen in the Gamow energy region. The results show the critical role of nucleon-nucleon interactions and compound nucleus excitations in the 12 C + 12 C fusion resonances observed at astrophysical energies.

Source: Physics Letters B

DOI: 10.1016/j.physletb.2025.139881

Authors: Grant Close, Paul Stevenson, Alexis Diaz-Torres

Institution: University of Surrey

Language: English

Topic: Nuclear physics research studies

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK Government, UK Research and Innovation, University of Leicester, Science and Technology Facilities Council

Awards: Nuclear Physics at the Extremes: Theory & Experiment, Advancing Nuclear Science via Theory and Experiment, TENSAR - Theory and Experiment for Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics & Reactions, G5158187111, STFC Surrey Physics 2022 DTP