Study of the structure of the Hoyle state by refractive α-scattering

Abstract

α + 12C elastic and inelastic to the Hoyle state (0+2, 7.65 MeV) differential cross-sections were measured at the energies 60 and 65 MeV with the aim of testing the microscopic wave function [1] widely used in modern structure calculations of 12C. Deep rainbow (Airy) minima were observed in all four curves. The minima in the inelastic angular distributions are shifted to the larger angles relatively those in the elastic ones, which testify the radius enhancement of the Hoyle state. In general, the DWBA calculations failed to reproduce the details of the cross sections in the region of therainbow minima in the inelastic scattering data. However, by using the phenomenological density with rms radius equal 2.9 fm, we can reproduce the Airy minimum positions.