"Statistical Yrast Line" in Heavy-Ion Fusion Reactions

Abstract

Fusion cross sections measured at high energies are parametrized in terms of a "statistical yrast line." This line lies parallel to the usual yrast line (given by the rigid-body moment of inertia, $\frac{2}{5}M{{\mathcal{r}}_{0}}^{2}{A}^{\frac{5}{3}}$) but is shifted upward by an additional energy $\ensuremath{\Delta}Q$. Most experimental fusion cross sections for systems with $A\ensuremath{\lesssim}80$ are well reproduced with values of ${\mathcal{r}}_{0}=1.20\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05$ fm and $\ensuremath{\Delta}Q=10\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5$ MeV.