An efficient method for mapping the \({}^{12}\hbox {C}+{}^{12}\hbox {C}\) molecular resonances at low energies

The \({}^{12}\)C+\({}^{12}\)C fusion reaction is famous because of its complication of molecular resonances, and it plays an important role in both nuclear structural research and astrophysics. It is extremely difficult to measure the cross sections of \({}^{12}\)C+\({}^{12}\)C fusions at energies of astrophysical relevance because of the very low reaction yields. To measure the complicated resonant structure that exists in this important reaction, an efficient thick target method has been developed and applied for the first time at energies \(E_{\mathrm{c.m.}}<5.3\) MeV. A scan of the cross sections over a relatively wide range of energies can be carried out using only a single beam energy. The result of measurement at \(E_{\mathrm{c.m.}}= 4.1\) MeV is compared with results from previous work. This method will be useful for searching for potentially existing resonances of \({}^{12}\hbox {C}+{}^{12}\hbox {C}\) in the energy range 1 MeV\(< E_{\mathrm{c.m.}}<\)3 MeV.