Clarification of the three-body decay of C-12 (12.71 MeV)

4 pages, 2 figures.--PACS nrs.: 21.45.+v; 23.40.–s; 27.20.+n.
Using beta decays of a clean source of N-13 produced at the IGISOL facility, we have measured the breakup of the C-12 (12.71 MeV) state into three alpha particles with a segmented particle detector setup. The high quality of the data permits solving the question of the breakup mechanism of the 12.71 MeV state, a longstanding problem in few-body nuclear physics. Among existing models, a modified sequential model fits the data best, but systematic deviations indicate that a three-body description is needed.
This research was supported by the Academy of Finland under the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme 2000-2005 (Project No. 44875, Nuclear and Condensed Matter Physics Programme at JYFL), by the Spanish Agency CICYT under Contract No. AEN99-1046-C02-02, and by the European Union Fifth Framework Programme ‘‘Improving Human Potential–Access to Research Infrastructure.’’