The $S$ matrices of elastic $\alpha$-$^{12}$C scattering at low energies in effective field theory

TL;DR

This paper develops an effective field theory approach to describe low-energy elastic alpha-carbon-12 scattering, constructing S matrices from sub-threshold states and fitting parameters to experimental phase shift data.

Contribution

It introduces a novel EFT framework for modeling alpha-12C scattering and successfully fits phase shift data using sub-threshold bound and resonant states.

Findings

Phase shifts are well described by the EFT model.

Parameters fitted to data accurately reproduce experimental results.

The approach links scattering data to nuclear structure of 16O.

Abstract

The elastic $\alpha$-$^{12}$C scattering at low energies for $l=0,1,2,3,4,5,6$ is studied in effective field theory. We discuss the construction of the $S$ matrices of elastic $\alpha$-$^{12}$C scattering in terms of the amplitudes of sub-threshold bound and resonant states of $^{16}$O, which are calculated from the effective Lagrangian. The parameters appearing in the $S$ matrices are fitted to the phase shift data below the $p$-$^{15}$N breakup threshold energy, and we find that the phase shifts are well described within the theory.