Role of the Hoyle state in the 12C+12C fusion at low energies

The 12C+12C fusion reaction is investigated in a multichannel folding model, using the density-dependent DDM3Y nucleon-nucleon interaction. The C(01 , 2 , 0+2 , 3 −) states are included, and their densities are taken from a microscopic cluster calculation. Absorption to fusion channels is simulated by a short-range imaginary potential and the model does not contain any fitting parameter. We compute elastic and fusion cross sections simultaneously. The role of 12C+12C inelastic channels and, in particular, of the C(01 )+ C(02 ) channel involving the Hoyle state is important even at low energies.