The recent discovery of neutron star mergers as a major nucleosynthetic site emphasizes the importance of nuclear reactions in neutron-rich environments. As fusion of two nuclei involves the interplay of the repulsive Coulomb and attractive nuclear potentials, by examining fusion for an isotopic chain one largely probes the neutron density distribution and how that density distribution evolves as the two nuclei approach and overlap. By examining the average fusion cross-section at energies above the fusion barrier for 12−15C + 12C and 16-19O + 12C the impact of neutron excess on fusion dynamics is probed. The experimental results indicate that the fusion cross-section associated with dynamics increases with increasing neutron excess more rapidly than simply the increase in size. Calculations with a time-dependent Hartree-Fock model fail to decribe the observed trend. Proposed experiments to extend these measurements towards the drip line are discussed.

Fusion of neutron-rich light nuclei: The march to the neutron drip-line

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.