Gamow shell model description of the radiative capture reaction $^8$B$(p,γ)$$^9$C

Abstract

In low metallicity supermassive stars, the hot $pp$ chain can serve as an alternative way to produce the CNO nuclei. In the astrophysical environment of high temperature, the proton capture of $^8$B can be faster than its beta decay, thus $^8$B$(p,γ)$$^9$C reaction plays an important role in the hot $pp$ chain. Due to the unstable nature of $^8$B and the lack of the $^8$B beam, the measurement of $^8$B$(p,γ)$$^9$C reaction can only be achieved by the indirect method, and large uncertainties exist. The Gamow shell model in the coupled-channel representation (GSM-CC) is applied to study the proton radiative capture reaction $^8$B$(p,γ)$$^9$C. For the calculation of the $^8$B$(p,γ)$$^9$C astrophysical factors, all E1, M1, and E2 transitions from the initial continuum states to the final bound states ${3/2}_1^-$of $^9$C are considered. The resonant capture to the first resonant state ${1/2}_1^-$ of $^{9}$C is also calculated. The experimental low-energy levels and the proton emission threshold in $^9$C are reproduced by the GSM-CC. The calculated astrophysical factors agrees with the existed experimental data from the indirect measurements. The reaction rates from the direct capture and resonant capture are calculated for the temperature range of astrophysical interest. The calculated total astrophysical $S$ factor is dominated by the E1 transition to the ground state of $^9$C. The GSM-CC calculations suggest that $S$ first increase with the energy of the center of mass $E_{\rm c.m.}$, and then decrease with the energy. This agrees with the existing data, which has smaller values at around zero energy and larger value in the energy range of 0.2 MeV $\leq E_{\rm c.m.} \leq$ 0.6 MeV.