We introduce a new coupling potential to explain the experimental data for the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}{+}^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$ system at numerous energies in a laboratory system from 16.0 MeV to 24.0 MeV. This new coupled-channels based approach involves replacing the usual first derivative coupling potential by a new, second-derivative coupling potential. This paper first shows and discusses the limitation of the standard coupled-channels theory in the case where one of the nuclei in the reaction is strongly deformed. Then, this new approach is shown to improve consistently the agreement with the experimental data and has made major improvement on all the previous coupled-channels calculations for this system.

• Received 16 April 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.64.054607