A study of the ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$${(}^{12}$C, 3α${)}^{12}$C reaction has been performed in order to determine the magnitude of the process by which the 7.65 MeV, $0_2^{+}$, state in ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ breaks up directly into three alpha particles, in contrast to the sequential decay through ${}_{}{}^8{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Be}$. The strength of this decay channel has important implications for the production rate of ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ in stellar nucleosynthesis. The present measurement indicates that the contribution of this decay process to the alpha width, ${\mathrm{\Gamma }}_{\mathrm{\alpha }}$, of this state is less than 4%.

• Received 6 December 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.49.R1751