Role of the Hoyle state in the 12C+12C fusion at low energies

Abstract

The 12C+12C fusion reaction is investigated in a multichannel folding model, using the density-dependent DDM3Y nucleon-nucleon interaction. The 12C(01+, 2+, 02+, 3−) states are included, and their densities are taken from a microscopic cluster calculation. Absorption to fusion channels is simulated by a short-range imaginary potential and the model does not contain any fitting parameter. We compute elastic and fusion cross sections simultaneously. The role of 12C+12C inelastic channels and, in particular, of the 12C(01+)+12C(02+) channel involving the Hoyle state is important even at low energies.