Phys.Rev. C 101, 021302 (2020)

R.Smith, M.Gai, M.W.Ahmed, M.Freer, H.O.U.Fynbo, D.Schweitzer, S.R.Stern

Stringent upper limit on the direct 3α decay of the Hoyle state in ¹²C

NUCLEAR REACTIONS ¹²C(γ, α)⁸Be, E=9.6 MeV; analyzed experimental data in 2013Zi03 and other studies for the energy, width and decay of the second 2+ Hoyle state; deduced upper limit of direct 3α decay mode of the Hoyle state from the experimental value for the upper limit Γ_3α for the second 2+ Hoyle state at ≈10 MeV, R-matrix analysis, and semiclassical Wenzel-Kramers-Brillouin approach. Comparison with measured experimental upper limit.

doi: 10.1103/PhysRevC.101.021302