Dynamics
and Time-scales in Breakup and Fusion M.
Dasgupta; Australian
National University, Australia
Understanding
the interactions of weakly bound nuclei and fusion of heavy nuclei
at energies close to the Coulomb barrier are amongst the current
challenges in nuclear reactions studies. Reactions near the
barrier are dominated by quantum effects, such as channel
couplings and tunneling. Experiments and theoretical developments
in these areas have progressed hand-in-hand, as improved
experimental techniques have revealed new facets of the
interaction dynamics. I will discuss the recent experiments which
highlight the role of time-scales of processes that affect
reaction outcomes. For example, coincidence measurements over a
large angular range, using weakly bound stable nuclei, have
provided a complete picture of the physical mechanisms triggering
their breakup. Crucially, the measurements can identify those
breakup processes that are fast enough to affect fusion, and
provide key insights for understanding reaction dynamics near the
barrier.