Fusion and fission of light nuclei with angular momenta near the calculated liquid-drop limit

Elemental yields have been measured for the nuclei produced in the reactions of 100- and 180-MeV ¹²C on ²⁷Al. Fusion cross sections, including those followed by fission, are derived using charge conservation. At 180 MeV the apparent limiting angular momentum for fusion is 40ℏ, in excellent agreement with a liquid-drop calculation. Fission does not account for more than 18% of the fusion cross section at 180 MeV, unless that fission is of an extremely asymmetric nature indistinguishable from the evaporation of small particles.