Preparative isolation of (+)-beta-eudesmol fromAmyris balsamifera

Summary Optically pure (+)-beta-eudesmol is a possible starting material for the synthesis of several termite defense compounds. A two step procedure for the isolation of gram quantities of (+)-beta-eudesmol from commercially availableAmyris balsamifera oil (syn. West Indian sandalwood oil), containing 8% beta-eudesmol, was developed. Step one consisted of an efficient vacuum distillation of the total oil. Step two was a medium pressure LC separation with an AgNO₃ impregnated silica gel stationary phase. Several other separation procedures failed due to the presence of many closely related sesquiterpene alcohols (75% of the oil).     

Cross section and stellar reaction rates for the 42Ca(p, γ) reaction

The cross section for the ⁴²Ca(p, γ)⁴³Sc reaction has been measured over the lab energy range from 0.7 to 5.5 MeV using a positron spectrometer to measure the annihilation radiation from the decay of 3.9 h ⁴³Sc. Stellar reaction rates N_A〈σv〉 have been calculated from the experimental cross section curve for a series of three temperatures of interest for explosive oxygen and silicon burning in stars. The calculated rates are compared with the theoretical predictions of Woosley et al. and found to be in agreement within the experimental errors and the quoted validity of the theoretical calculation     

Total cross sections for some (α, n) and (α, p) reactions in medium-weight nuclei

Total cross sections have been measured for the ⁴⁵Sc(α, n), ⁴⁶Ti(α, n), ⁵⁰Cr(α, n), ⁵¹V(α, n), ⁵⁴Fe(α, n) and ⁵⁸Ni(α, p) reactions, and stellar reaction rates have been calculated from them. These have been compared to recent theoretical calculations which used compound nuclear theory. The calculated values are generally higher than the experimental values by factors ranging from 2 to 10.     

Investigations into beam monitors at the AEg ̄ IS experiment

Detailed diagnostic of antiproton beams at low energies is required for essentially all experiments at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD), but will be particularly important for the future Extra Low ENergy Antiproton ring (ELENA) and its keV beam lines to the different experiments. Many monitors have been successfully developed and operated at the AD, but in particular beam profile monitoring remains a challenge. A dedicated beam instrumentation and detector test stand has recently been setup at the AE \(\bar {g}\) IS experiment (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy). Located behind the actual experiment, it allows for parasitic use of the antiproton beam at different energies for testing and calibration. With the aim to explore and validate different candidate technologies for future low energy beam lines, as well as the downstream antihydrogen detector in AE \(\bar {g}\) IS, measurements have been carried out using Silicon strip and pixel detectors, a purpose-built secondary emission monitor and emulsions. Here, results from measurements and characterization of the different detector types with regard to their future use at the AD complex are presented.     

Proton-induced direct capture on 21Ne and 22Ne

The direct capture process in the reactions ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na and ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na has been investigated at E_p = 0.3–1.6 MeV using neon gas enriched to 91 % in ²¹Ne and to 99 % in ²²Ne, respectively. The gas was recirculated in a differentially pumped gas target system of the extended-static and quasi-point supersonic jet type. For ²²Ne(p, γ)²³Na, the direct capture process has been observed to several final states in ²³Na up to E_x = 8.83 MeV excitation energy. The deduced spectroscopic factors C²S are in fair agreement with the corresponding values from stripping reactions. The capture transition into the ²³Na ground state exhibits broad structures, which resemble Ericson fluctuations. The data remove the previously reported discrepancies in C²S for the ²³Na ground state. The excitation functions for the ²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na reaction are dominated by broad and intense resonances, which hampered the measurement of the direct capture process. The nuclear and astrophysical aspects of the results are discussed.     

The4He(12C, γ)16O reaction at stellar energies

The capture reaction⁴He(¹²C, γ)¹⁶O (E _c.m.= 1.34–3.38 MeV) as well as the elastic scattering process⁴He(¹²C,¹²C)⁴He (E _c.m.=1.44–3.38 MeV) have been investigated with the use of an intense¹²C beam and a windowless and⁴He recirculating gas target system. The measurements involved two large NaI(T1) crystals in close geometry to an extended gas target, whereby angle-integrated γ-ray yields were obtained. A large area plastic detector was used for the suppression of time-independent background. A search for cascade γ-ray transitions was carried out by coincidence techniques. The measurement of absolute cross sections is also reported. Theoretical fits of the excitation function for the groundstate γ-ray transition requireE1 as well asE2 capture amplitudes, which are of equal importance at stellar energies. This result increases significantly the stellar burning rate of⁴He(¹²C, γ)¹⁶O and leads to¹⁶O as the dominant product at the end of helium burning in massive stars. The observed capture yield to the 6.92 MeV state is dominated by the direct capture mechanism and plays a small role at stellar energies.