Temperature and Density Conditions for Alpha Clustering in Excited Self-Conjugate Nuclei

Abstract

Starting from experimental studies on alpha-clustering in excited self-conjugate nuclei (from ${}^{16}$O to ${}^{28}$Si), temperature and density conditions for such a clustering are determined. Measured temperatures have been found in the range of 5.5 - 6.0 MeV whereas density values of 0.3 - 0.4 times the saturation density are deduced, i.e., 0.046 to 0.062 $f{m}^{-3}$. Such a density domain is also predicted by constrained self-consistent mean field calculations. These results constitute a benchmark for alpha clustering from self-conjugate nuclei in relation to descriptions of stellar evolution and supernovae.

Comments: 7 pages, 3 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1602.05827, arXiv:1603.01114