Airy structure in ${}^{16}$O+${}^{14}$C nuclear rainbow scattering

Abstract

The Airy structure in ${}^{16}$O+${}^{14}$C rainbow scattering is studied with an extended double folding (EDF) model that describes all the diagonal and off-diagonal coupling potentials derived from the microscopic realistic wave functions for ${}^{16}$O using a density-dependent nucleon-nucleon force. The experimental angular distributions at $E_L$=132, 281 and 382.2 MeV are well reproduced by the calculations. By studying the energy evolution of the Airy structure, the Airy minimum at around $\theta$=76${}^{\circ }$ in the angular distribution at $E_L$=132 MeV is assigned as the second order Airy minimum $A2$ in contrast to the recent literature which assigns it as the third order $A3$. The Airy minima in the 90${}^{\circ }$ excitation function is investigated in comparison with well-known ${}^{16}$O+${}^{16}$O and ${}^{12}$C+${}^{12}$C systems. Evolution of the Airy structure into the molecular resonances with the ${}^{16}$O+${}^{14}$C cluster structure in the low energy region around $E_{c.m.}$=30 MeV is discussed. It is predicted theoretically for the first time for a non-$4N$ ${}^{16}$O+${}^{14}$C system that Airy elephants in the 90${}^{\circ }$ excitation function are present.

Comments: 6 pages, 5 figures