Activation measurement of a-induced cross sections for ¹⁹⁷Au: analysis in the statistical model and beyond

Abstract

Cross sections of ( α,γ), (α,n), and (α,2n) reactions for 197Au were measured below the Coulomb barrier using the activation technique. The new data are analyzed in the statistical model and in a simple barrier transmission model. Sensitivities of the resulting cross sections on the underlying parameters are discussed. It is found that the cross sections in the statistical model depend sensitively on the tail of the imaginary α-nucleus potential at large radii outside the colliding nuclei. Contrary, the cross sections in the barrier transmission model depend only on the real part of the α-nucleus potential. The calculated cross sections in the barrier transmission model agree nicely with the new experimental data. Furthermore, the available experimental data for heavy targets above A ≈150 are also well reproduced within the barrier transmission model.

Successful prediction of total $α$-induced reaction cross sections at astrophysically relevant sub-Coulomb energies using a novel approach

“…Furthermore, we modified TALYS to implement the recent ATOMKI-V1 potential [22]. It was found that the total reaction cross section of α + 197 Au from the different AOMPs varies by less than a factor of two at higher energies of 25 MeV above the Coulomb barrier; however, around 10 MeV, i.e., in the center of the Gamow window at T 9 ≈ 2.5, the predicted cross sections vary dramatically by about four orders of magnitude [23]. Obviously, the reason for the wide range of predictions should be understood.…”