Quantum Dynamical Microscopic Approach to Stellar Carbon Burning

TL;DR

This paper presents a quantum dynamical approach combining wave-packet and DC-TDHF methods to model stellar carbon burning, revealing the importance of nucleon interactions in fusion resonances relevant to astrophysics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel quantum dynamical framework that accurately explains resonant structures in carbon fusion at stellar energies, advancing understanding of stellar evolution.

Findings

DC-TDHF explains resonant fusion structures

Nucleon-nucleon interactions are crucial for fusion resonances

The approach models sub-barrier fusion cross-sections effectively

Abstract

The process of carbon burning is vital to understanding late stage stellar evolution of massive stars and the conditions of certain supernovae. Carbon burning is a complex problem, involving quantum tunnelling and nuclear molecular states. Quantum dynamical calculations of carbon burning are presented, combining the time-dependent wave-packet method and the density-constrained time-dependent Hartree-Fock (DC-TDHF) approach. By limiting the contribution of triaxial molecular configurations to fusion, we demonstrate that the DC-TDHF interaction potential successfully explains the appearance of some resonant structures in the sub-barrier fusion cross-section. This result shows the critical role of nucleon-nucleon interactions in the 12C + 12C fusion resonances observed at astrophysical energies.