Airy structure in ¹⁶O+¹⁴C nuclear rainbow scattering

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The Airy structure in ¹⁶O+¹⁴C rainbow scattering is studied with an extended double folding (EDF) model that describes all the diagonal and off-diagonal coupling potentials derived from the microscopic realistic wave functions for ¹⁶O using a density-dependent nucleon-nucleon force. The experimental angular distributions at Eₗ=132, 281 and 382.2 MeV are well reproduced by the calculations. By studying the energy evolution of the Airy structure, the Airy minimum at around θ=76∘ in the angular distribution at Eₗ=132 MeV is assigned as the second order Airy minimum A2 in contrast to the recent literature which assigns it as the third order A3. The Airy minima in the 90∘ excitation function is investigated in comparison with well-known ¹⁶O+¹⁶O and ¹²C+¹²C systems. Evolution of the Airy structure into the molecular resonances with the ¹⁶O+¹⁴C cluster structure in the low energy region around Ec.ₘ.=30 MeV is discussed. It is predicted theoretically for the first time for a non-4N ¹⁶O+¹⁴C system that Airy elephants in the 90∘ excitation function are present.