title: 12C+12C fusion reactions near the Gamow energy.
abstract: The fusion reactions 12C(12C,alpha)20Ne and 12C(12C,p)23Na have been studied from E=2.10 to 4.75 MeV by gamma-ray spectroscopy using a C target with ultralow hydrogen contamination. The deduced astrophysical S(E)* factor exhibits new resonances at E< or =3.0 MeV, in particular, a strong resonance at E=2.14 MeV, which lies at the high-energy tail of the Gamow peak. The resonance increases the present nonresonant reaction rate of the alpha channel by a factor of 5 near T=8x10(8) K. Because of the resonance structure, extrapolation to the Gamow energy EG=1.5 MeV is quite uncertain. An experimental approach based on an underground accelerator placed in a salt mine in combination with a high efficiency detection setup could provide data over the full EG energy range.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Spillane
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raiola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rolfs
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schürmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Strieder
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: H-W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bordeanu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gialanella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schweitzer