Theoretical exploration of $S$-factors for nuclear reactions of astrophysical importance

Abstract

We present here a robust analytical model based on nuclear reaction theory for non-resonant fusion cross sections near Coulomb barrier. The astrophysical $S$-factors involving stable and neutron rich isotopes of C, O, Ne, Mg and Si for fusion reactions have been calculated in the centre of mass energy range of 2-30 MeV. The model is based on the tunneling through barrier arising out of nuclear, Coulomb and centrifugal potentials. Our formalism predicts precisely the suppression of $S$-factor at sub-barrier energies which are of astrophysical interest. The cross sections can be convoluted with Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of energies to obtain thermo- or pycno- nuclear reaction rates relevant to nucleosynthesis at high density environments and stellar burning at high temperatures as well as for ${}^{34}$Ne $+$ ${}^{34}$Ne fusion occurring in the inner crust of accreting neutron stars.

Comments: 8 pages including 12 figures and 1 table