Microscopic study of $^{16}$O+$^{16}$O fusion

Abstract

We perform a study of $^{16}$O+$^{16}$O fusion at above and below the interaction barrier energies using three-dimensional time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) calculations at above barrier energies and density-constrained TDHF calculations for the entire energy range. We discuss the variations of the experimental data at above the barrier energies. Calculations reasonably reproduce the observed energy-dependent broad oscillations in the fusion excitation functions. These oscillations result from overcoming $L$-dependent fusion barriers. The role of the coupling to low-lying octupole states is also discussed.