Hydrogen burning of 20Ne and 22Ne in stars

The ²⁰Ne(p, γ)²¹Na capture reaction has been studied in the energy range E_p = 0.37–2.10 MeV. Direct-capture transitions to the $\text{332 (}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{2425}\text{keV}\text{(}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}$ states have been found with spectroscopic factors of C²S(1d) = 0.77±0.13 and C²S(2s) = 0.90±0.12, respectively. The high-energy tail of the 2425 keV state, bound by 7 keV against proton decay, has also been observed in the above energy range as a subthreshold resonance. The excitation function for this tail is consistent with a single-level Breit-Wigner shape for a γ-width of Γ_γ = 0.31±0.07 eV at E_x = 2425 keV. The extrapolation of these data to stellar energies gives an astrophysical S-factor of S(0) = 3500 keV · b. Two new resonances at E_p = 384±5 and 417± 5 keV have been observed with strengths of ωγ = 0.11±0.02 and 0.06±0.01 meV, corresponding to the known states at and 2829 keV (presumably $\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$), respectively. For the known E_p = 1830 keV resonance, a strength of ωγ = 1.0± 0.3 eV and a total width of Γ = 180± 15 keV were found. Branching ratios as well as transition strengths have been obtained for these three states. The Q-value for the ²⁰Ne(p, γ)²¹Na reaction (Q = 2432.3 ± 0.5 keV) as well as excitation energies for many low-lying states in ²¹Na have been measured. No evidence was found for the existence of the state reported at E_x = 4308±4 keV.In the case of ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na, direct-capture transitions to six final bound states have been observed revealing sizeable spectroscopic factors for these states. The astrophysical S-factor extrapolated from these data to stellar energies, is S(0) = 67 ± 12 keV · b.The astrophysical as well as the nuclear structure aspects of the present results are discussed.     

The 2425 keV state in 21Na as a subtreshold resonance in 20Ne (p,γ)21 Na

The high-energy tail of the $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, 2425 keV state in ²¹Na, bound by 7 keV against proton decay, has been observed in the ²⁰Ne (p,γ)²¹Na reaction at E_p=0.5?1.5 MeV. The observed excitation function is consistent with a single-level Breit-Wigner shape with Γ_γ=0.31±0.07 eV at E_x = 2425 keV.     

Search for low-energy resonances in 21Ne(p, γ)22Na and 22Ne(p, γ)23Na

The reactions ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na and ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na have been investigated at E_p(lab) = 70–355keV. Neon gas enriched to 91% in ²¹Ne and to 99% in ²²Ne was recirculated in a differentially pumped gas target system of the extended-static and quasi-point supersonic jet type. For ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na, new resonances were found at E_p = 126, 272, 291 and 352 keV. The 291 keV resonance corresponds to a new unbound state in ²²Na. Excitation energies, γ-ray decay schemes, resonance widths and strengths as well as J^π assignments are reported for all the resonances. Information on low-lying states in ²²Na is also obtained. Of the 9 expected resonances in ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na none has been observed. Upper limits on their ωγy strengths are presented. The astrophysical as well as the nulcear structure aspects of the results are discussed.     

A study of some resonances in the 54Fe(p, γ)55Co reaction

Excitation functions for the ⁵⁴Fe(p, γ)⁵⁵Co reaction have been recorded in the energy region E_p = 1100–1760 keV. The decay schemes and branching ratios of ten resonances have been investigated. Angular distributions of primary γ-rays have been measured for three resonances to establish resonance spins. Resonance strengths for six resonances and gamma widths for three resonances have been determined. The isobaric analogues of the ground ($\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{1919}\text{keV}$$\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}$^?) states of the parent nucleus ⁵⁵Fe have been identified at 4722 and 6712 keV respectively in ⁵⁵Co. The Coulomb displacement energies of the observed analogue pairs (0–4722 keV) and (1919–6712 keV) have been obtained. The strengths of the possible analogue-antianalogue transitions for the proton capture state at E_p = 1679 keV have also been determined.     

Das Niveauschema von 47V aus dem γ-zerfall von Analogresonanzen

A high-accuracy investigation of the level scheme of ⁴⁷V has been performed using the ⁴⁶Ti(p, γ)⁴⁷V reaction. The γ-decay schemes of the strong (p, γ) resonances at E_p = 1546, 1549, 1565 and 1572 keV lead to 17 new energy levels in ⁴⁷V with excitation energies between 2.7 and 5.1 MeV. From the (p,γ) angular distributions mixing ratios of the primary γ-transitions and J^π values of the resonances and of many states populated in the γ-decay have been determined. The total width of the E_p = 1549, 1565 and 1572 keV resonances for γ-decay are found to be Γ_γ = 0.12, 0.15 and 0.03 eV, respectively. The Q-value of the ⁴⁶Ti(p,γ)⁴⁷V reaction is found to be 5168.6 keV. The two resonances at E_p = 1549 and 1565 keV, which have $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, are interpreted as fine structure components of the analogue state of the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 2.545}\text{MeV}\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ level in ⁴⁷Ti while the ($\text{7}\text{2}$) resonance at E_p = 1546 keV might correspond to the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 2.615}\text{MeV}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ parent state in ⁴⁷Ti. The analogue-antianalogue M1 transition strength of the split $\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ analogue state is 0.01 single-particle units and fits well into our systematics of IAS → AIAS transitions in fp-shell nuclei.     

The reaction 36S(p,γ)37Cl: (I). Excitation energies and γ-ray branchings of bound states deduced from resonances in the range Ep = 500–2000 keV

Yield curves of the reaction ³⁶S(p, γ)³⁷Cl have been measured over the range E_p = 500–2000 keV with a highly enriched (81%) ³⁶S target. Proton energies, with a precision of typically 0.3 keV, and strengths are presented for the nearly 200 observed resonances. Several previously reported resonances, among which the well-known $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{, E}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{= 1887}\text{keV}$ analogue resonance, are proven to be multiplets.At 75 selected resonances in the ranges E_p = 500–1200 and 1800–2000 keV the decay schemes have been studied. These measurements also provide rather detailed information on the γ-ray branching ratios of more than 50 bound states of which the majority has not been observed previously. Precision excitation energies have been determined; for the levels with E_x < 5 MeV the median uncertainty amounts to 30 ppm. The reaction Q-value is Q = 8386.34 ± 0.23 keV.These precision data invalidate several previous spin and parity assignments to low-lying bound states of ³⁷Cl. They also provide a basis for the lifetime measurements and spin and parity assignments to be discussed in the following paper.     

Proton capture by 15N at stellar energies

Excitation functions of the ¹⁵N(p, γ)¹⁶O proton capture reaction have been obtained at θ_γ = 45° and E_p = 150–2500 keV. Below E_p = 400 keV, the reaction is dominated by capture into the ground state of ¹⁶O. The observed excitation function for the latter process can be explained if, in addition to the two well-known J^π = 1^? resonances at E_p = 338 and 1028 keV, a direct radiative capture process (DC → 0) is included in the analysis. The direct capture component in the capture reaction is enhanced through interference effects on the tails of the two resonances. From the observed direct capture cross section, a single-particle spectroscopic factor of C²S(1p) = 1.8 ± 0.4 has been deduced for the ground state in ¹⁶O. The extrapolated astrophysical S-factor of S(0) = 64 ± 6 keV · b for the ¹⁵N(p, γ₀)¹⁶O reaction is a factor of 2.5 larger than previously reported. This result amplifies the role of the oxygen side cycle in the CNO hydrogen burning process.The observed excitation function of the ¹⁵N(p, α₁γ₁)¹²C reaction at E_p = 150 – 2500 keV shows that this reaction makes a negligible contribution to hydrogen burning at stellar energies [S(0) ≈ 0.1 keV · b] compared to ${}^{15}\text{N}\text{(}\text{p}\text{, γ}{}_0\text{)}{}^{16}\text{O and}{}^{15}\text{N}\text{(}\text{p}\text{, α}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>o</mtext>}}\text{)}{}^{12}\text{C}$.     

The 12C(13C, α)21Ne reaction: High-spin states,resonances and coherence widths

Excitation functions were measured for states of ²¹Ne populated by the ${}^{12}\text{C}\text{(}{}^{13}\text{C}\text{, α)}$ reaction over the bombarding energy range E_lab = 18.2–32.0 MeV (18.4–27.0 MeV) at θ_lab = 7°(25°) in in 200 keV steps, and average coherence widths of states and the moment of inertia of the compound nucleus ²⁵Mg were obtained from these excitation functions. A statistical analysis of these data was performed. Angular distributions for states in ²¹Ne to 10 MeV in excitation energy were measured at θ_lab = 7°, 18°, 28° and 43° at bombarding energies from 29.0 to 31.0 MeV in 400 keV steps. These data along with Hauser-Feshbach predictions allow us to suggest spins for some states as well as to suggest possible candidates for rotational bands in ²¹Ne.     

Interference effects in 12C(p, γ)13N and direct capture to unbound states

Excitation functions of the capture reaction ¹²C(p, γ₀)¹³N have been obtained at θ_γ = 0° and 90° and E_p = 150–2500 keV. The results can be explained if a direct radiative capture process, E1(s and d → p), to the ground state in ¹³N is included in the analysis in addition to the two well-known resonances in this beam energy range $\text{[E}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{= 457(}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}$ and 1699 $\text{(}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{) keV]}$. The direct capture component is enhanced through interference effects with the two resonance amplitudes. From the observed direct capture cross section, a spectroscopic factor of C²S(l = 1) = 0.49 ± 0.15 has been deduced for the $\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ ground state in ¹³N. Excitation functions for the reaction ${}^{12}\text{C(p,γ}{}_1\text{p}{}^1\text{)}{}^{12}\text{C}$ have been obtained at θ_γ = 0° and 90° and E_p = 610–2700 keV. Away from the 1699 keV resonance the capture γ-ray yield is dominated by the direct capture process E1 (p → s) to the $\text{2366 (}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) keV}$ unbound state. Above E_p = 1 MeV, the observed excitation functions are well reproduced by the direct capture theory to unbound states (bremsstrahlung theory). Below E_p = 1 MeV, i.e., E_p → 457 keV, the theory diverges in contrast to observation. This discrepancy is well known in bremsstrahlung theory as the “infrared problem”. From the observed direct capture cross sections at $\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{p}}\text{? 1 MeV}$, a spectroscopic factor of C²S(l = 0) = 1.02 ± 0.15 has been found for the $\text{2366 (}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) keV}$ unbound state. A search for direct capture transitions to the $\text{3512 (}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{)}$and $\text{3547 (}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{) keV}$ unbound states resulted in upper limits of C²S(l = 1) ≦ 0.5 and C²S(l = 2) ? 1.0, respectively. The results are compared with available stripping data as well as shell-model calculations. The astrophysical aspect of the ¹²C(p, γ₀)¹³N reaction also is discussed.     

Investigation of the reaction 34S(p, γ)35Cl: (I). Resonances at proton energies above 2 MeV

The yield curve of the reaction ³⁴S(p, γ)³⁵Cl has been measured over the energy range E_p = 1.95–2.91 MeV. Proton energies and strengths of 84 resonances are given. The decay schemes of 38 selected resonances have been studied, and for these branching ratios and spin limits are presented. The proton energy of the well known $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{7}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ analogue resonance has been measured as E_p = 1211.45 ± 0.09 keV. The reaction Q-value is Q = 6371.6 ± 0.4 keV.     

The γ-decay of the g92 analogue state in 59Cu

An investigation of the γ-decay of the $\text{1}\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>9</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ analogue state in ⁵⁹Cu has been performed using the ⁵⁸Ni(p, γ)⁵⁹Cu reaction. The (p, γ) excitation function has been taken in the range E_p = 3450–3650 keV. The decay schemes of the (p, γ) resonances at E_p = 3483, 3532 and 3547 keV, measured with Ge(Li) detectors, lead to eight new levels in ⁵⁹Cu with excitation energies between 1.8 and 4.7 MeV and to spin assignments of several states. The spins of the first two resonances are found to be ($\text{1}\text{2}$, $\text{3}\text{2}$) and ($\text{5}\text{2}$). The spin of the E_p = 3547 keV resonan is, from angular distributions, uniquely determined to be $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ and this state is found to be the unfragmented analogue state of the $\text{E}{}^1\text{= 3.062}\text{MeV}$, $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{9}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ parent state in ⁵⁹Ni. The measured complete decay scheme of this resonance shows that its isovector M1 decay is in disagreement with all existing theoretical predictions.     

A study of 3He capture in light nuclei

Excitation functions at θ = 90° have been measured for ${}^{16}\text{O}\text{(}{}^3\text{He}\text{, γ}{}_{\mathrm{0?2,\; 3?5,\; 6}}\text{)}{}^{19}\text{Ne}$, ${}^{15}\text{N}\text{(}{}^3\text{He}\text{, γ}{}_{\mathrm{0,\; 1?4}}\text{)}{}^{18}\text{F}\text{,}{}^{14}\text{N}\text{(}{}^3\text{He}\text{, γ}{}_{\mathrm{0,\; 1,2,3}}\text{)}{}^{17}\text{F}$, and ${}^{20}\text{Ne}\text{(}{}^3\text{He}\text{, γ}{}_{\mathrm{0\; +\; 1}}\text{)}{}^{23}\text{Mg}$, in the range E_{3He = 3–19 MeV}. The first reaction has also been studied at θ = 40°. Excitation functions at 90° have also been measured for and ${}^4\text{He}\text{(}{}^3\text{He}\text{, γ}{}_{\mathrm{0\; +\; 1}}\text{)}{}^7\text{Be}$ for E_3He = 19–26 MeV. Angular distributions have been measured for the first four reactions.For the most excitation functions, a broad peak is observed, several MeV wide, centred at about E_x≈ 20 MeV. Superimposed on this, in some cases, are narrower peaks, with width ≈ 1 MeV. Energies and widths have been extracted for all resonances.Cluster-model calculations have been carried out, using methods similar to those which have proved successful for low-lying states in A= 18–19 nuclei. No satisfactory correspondence with the present results was found. The shell model has been used to calculate Γ_3He and Γ_γ for 1?ω excitations in the final nuclei. These generally show good agreement with the trends of the experimental data. The results are consistent with the excitation of the giant dipole resonance in ³He capture, but much more weakly than in proton capture.     

Remeasurement of the low-energy cross section for the 15N(p, α0)12C reaction

The cross section for the ${}^{15}\text{N(p}\text{, α}{}_0\text{)}{}^{12}\text{C}$ reaction has been measured at θ_lab = 135° over the proton energy range 93 ≦ E_p ≦ 418 keV. The results are in good agreement with the less precise but much earlier measurements of Schardt, Fowler and Lauritsen (1952). An analysis of the present data in terms of a two-level calculation including the 338 keV (1^?) and 1028 keV (1^?) resonances determines a zero-energy intercept for the astrophysical S-factor of S(0) = 78 ± 6 MeV · b.     

Direct capture in the 24Mg(p, γ)25Al reaction

Excitation functions for the ²⁴Mg(p, γ)²⁵Al capture reaction have been obtained for the beam energy range E_p = 0.2–2.3 MeV. The analysis of these data revealed the presence of the direct capture process to the low-lying states in ²⁵Al at , $\text{945(}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{), 2485(}\text{1}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}\text{and}\text{3062}\text{keV}\text{(}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{)}$. The presence of the weaker direct capture transitions is manifested through interference effects on the tails of the two broad resonances at E_p = 823 and 1623 keV. The deduced spectroscopic factors for these final states in ²⁵Al are compared with the corresponding values from stripping data as well as model calculations. An astrophysical S-factor of S(0) ≈ 30 keV· b for this reaction has been obtained.     

The 21N(→d,p)22Ne reaction to the Jπ = 2+, 4.46 MeV level in 22Ne

We have used measurements of the ${}^{21}\text{Ne(}\text{→d}\text{,p)}{}^{22}\text{Ne}$ reaction to deduce spectroscopic factors for the three j_n values which contribute to the transition to the 4.46 MeV level in ²²Ne. The results agree with the shell-model calculation of Preedom and Wildenthal.     

Alpha-decay widths in 20Ne

The α-decay of several unbound levels in ²⁰Ne has been studied by ¹⁶O(α, α) elastic and inelastic scattering. A narrow resonance, Γ_c.m. = 13±4 eV, with J^π = 5^? was found at $\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{(}{}^{20}\text{Ne}\text{) = 8.451±0.005}\text{MeV}$ and is associated with the lowest K = 2^? quasirotational band. Several new, narrow resonances were found between E_x = 16.0?18.4 MeV. Reduced α-decay widths have been obtained for the lowest K = 0⁺, 2^? and 0^?bands. For states described predominantly by the (8, 2) representation of SU(3) we note a reduction of the reduced widths with increasing spin. Reduced widths of positive parity bands are reviewed.     

Total width of the lowest T = 2 state in 24Mg

By analyzing thick-target excitation functions of the $\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>p</mtext>}}\text{= 3906}\text{keV}{}^{23}\text{Na}\text{(}\text{p}\text{, γ)}$ resonance we have determined Γ_c.m ≦ 530⁺⁴⁰_?70 eV for the width of the lowest T = 2 state of ²⁴Mg. The beam energy resolution function was measured using a narrow ²⁷Al(p, γ) resonance at E_p = 3671 keV, for which we obtain Γ_c.m. = 180 ±50 eV.     

Lifetime measurements in 22Ne, 28Si and 31P relevant to the interpretation of the Z2 variation in low velocity DSAM results

Accurate lifetimes have been measured for low-lying levels in ²²Ne, ²⁸Si and ³¹P by bombarding ⁴He implanted targets with beams of ¹⁹F and ²⁸Si ions. Mean lifetimes determined by fitting Doppler-broadened γ-ray lineshapes were $\text{(E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>x</mtext>}}\text{in MeV}\text{, τ}\text{in ps}\text{):}{}^{22}\text{Ne}\text{(1.275, 5.15 ± 0.31; 3.357, 0.324 ± 0.009),}{}^{28}\text{Si}\text{(1.779, 0.667 ± 0.035),}{}^{31}\text{P}\text{(1.266, 0.70 ± 0.07; 2.234, 0.363 ± 0.024}$). The lifetime values for the 3.357 MeV level in ²²Ne and the 2.234 MeV level in ³¹P are used to calibrate low velocity DSAM lifetime data for these two levels and to obtain scaling factors to theoretical electronic stopping powers for Ne and P ions.     

Resonance strength measurements and thermonuclear reaction rates for 25Mg(p, γ)26Al (II)

The strengths of resonances in ${}^{25}\text{Mg(p}\text{, γ)}{}^{26}\text{Al}$ have been measured in the energy range E_p = 600–1730 keV. Several serious disagreements with previously published results are reported. Thermonuclear reaction rates are calculated for the temperature range (0.5–10) × 10⁹ K for production of ²⁶Al in its ground state and in its isomeric first excited state. Total thermonuclear reaction rates are compared with those calculated from statistical-model cross sections and, even in energy ranges where the experimental cross section derives from widely spaced resonances, the agreement is very good. The establishment of a thermal population of ²⁶Al excited states in a stellar environment is discussed, with both electromagnetic transitions and proton inelastic and superelastic scattering as the thermalising processes.     

The excited states of 27Al

The γ-decay of 60 and the strengths of 51 ²⁶Mg(p, γ)²⁷Al resonances were studied for E_p < 2.20 MeV. The energies of 32 and the γ-decay of 54 bound levels were determined. Spin and parity assignments $\text{J}{}^{\mathrm{\pi }}\text{=}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{,}\text{5}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{?}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{,}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{and}\text{3}\text{2}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ were made to the bound states at E_x = 4.81, 5.44, 6.61, 6.78, 7.68 and 7.86 MeV, respectively. Spin assignments $\text{J =}\text{5}\text{2}$and $\text{3}\text{2}$ were made to the bound levels at Einx = 5.55 and 6.08 MeV, respectively. For other levels spin and parity limitations were set. Lifetimes or lifetime upper limits of 19 bound levels were measured by means of the DSA technique. The spins and/or parities of 15 resonances were unambiguously determined from γ-ray angular distributions and strengths.