Pair Decay Width of the Hoyle State and its Role for Stellar Carbon Production

M. Chernykh, H. Feldmeier, T. Neff, P. von Neumann-Cosel, and A. Richter
Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 022501 – Published 9 July 2010

Abstract

The pair decay width of the first excited 0+ state in C12 (the Hoyle state) is deduced from a novel analysis of the world data on inelastic electron scattering covering a wide momentum transfer range, thereby resolving previous discrepancies. The extracted value Γπ=(62.3±2.0)μeV is independently confirmed by new data at low momentum transfers measured at the S-DALINAC and reduces the uncertainty of the literature values by more than a factor of 3. A precise knowledge of Γπ is mandatory for quantitative studies of some key issues in the modeling of supernovae and of asymptotic giant branch stars, the most likely site of the slow-neutron nucleosynthesis process.

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  • Received 22 April 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.022501

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. Chernykh1, H. Feldmeier2,3, T. Neff2, P. von Neumann-Cosel1,*, and A. Richter1,4

  • 1Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany
  • 2Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), D-64291 Darmstadt, Germany
  • 3Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto, Japan
  • 4ECT*, Villa Tambosi, I-38100 Villazzano (Trento), Italy

  • *vnc@ikp.tu-darmstadt.de

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Vol. 105, Iss. 2 — 9 July 2010

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