Resolution of the discrepancy in the ¹⁷O + ¹²C fusion excitation function

Measurements of the total fusion cross section around the Coulomb barrier can provide insight into different underlying mechanisms that makeup the structural properties of the fusion excitation function. Couple channel calculations are typically used to understand the measurements. However, for the case of fusion in light symmetric systems, unique interpretations are needed to explain, for example, the observed oscillatory structures found in their fusion excitation functions. At Florida State University we used the novel Encore detector to measure the ¹⁷O + ¹²C fusion excitation function in order to resolve a long-standing discrepancy around E = 14 MeV in the existing data. Details of the detector, results of the measurement and possible implications will be discussed in this talk.