0000000000146840
AUTHOR
G. Tabacaru
Implantation-decay station for low-energy proton measurements
Abstract We have built an implantation-decay station for β - delayed proton and α decay studies at the focal plane of the Momentum Achromat Recoil Spectrometer (MARS) at the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&M University. Energetic secondary beams with a small momentum spread are stopped in a controlled manner into a very thin silicon strip detector. In addition, high-purity germanium detectors are installed for γ ray detection. Here we give a description of the setup and the observed performance down to E p ≈ 200 keV using implanted 23 Al and 31 Cl sources.
High accuracy [sup 18]O(p,α)[sup 15]N reaction rate in the 8⋅10[sup 6]–5⋅10[sup 9] K temperature range
The 18O(p,α)15N reaction is of great importance in several astrophysical scenarios, as it influences the production of key isotopes such as 19F, 18O and 15N. In this work, a high accuracy 18O(p,α)15N reaction rate is proposed, based on the simultaneous fit of direct measurements and of the results of a new Trojan Horse experiment. In particular, we have focused on the study of the broad 660 keV 1/2+ resonance. Since Γ∼100–300 keV, it strongly influences the nearly‐zero‐energy region of the cross section by means of the low‐energy tail of the resonant contribution and dominates the cross section at higher energies. Here we provide a factor of 2 larger reaction rate above T∼0.5 109 K based ov…
Experimental study ofβ-delayed proton decay ofAl23for nucleosynthesis in novae
The $\ensuremath{\beta}$-delayed $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and proton decay of $^{23}\mathrm{Al}$ has been studied with an alternative detector setup at the focal plane of the momentum achromat recoil separator MARS at Texas A University. We could detect protons down to an energy of 200 keV and determine the corresponding branching ratios. Contrary to results of previous $\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay studies, no strong proton intensity from the decay of the isobaric analog state (IAS) of the $^{23}\mathrm{Al}$ ground state at ${E}_{x}=7803$ keV in $^{23}\mathrm{Mg}$ was observed. Instead we assign the observed low-energy group ${E}_{p,\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=206$ keV to the decay from a state that…
First measurement of the 18O(p,α)15N cross section at astrophysical energies
International audience; The 18O(p,α)15N reaction rate has been deduced by means of the Trojan horse method. For the first time the contribution of the 20 keV resonance has been directly evaluated, giving a value about 35% larger than the one in the literature. Moreover, the present approach has allowed to improve the accuracy by a factor 8.5, as it is based on the measured strength instead of spectroscopic measurements. The contribution of the 90 keV resonance has been also determined, which turned out to be of negligible importance to astrophysics.
Study of excited states of [sup 31]S through beta-decay of [sup 31]Cl for nucleosynthesis in ONe novae
We have produced an intense and pure beam of 31Cl with the MARS Separator at the Texas A&M University and studied β‐decay of 31Cl by implanting the beam into a novel detector setup, capable of measuring β‐delayed protons and γ‐rays simultaneously. From our data, we have established decay scheme of 31Cl, found resonance energies with 1 keV precision, have measured its half‐life with under 1% accuracy, found its Isobar Analog State decay and by using the IMME obtained an improved mass excess for its ground state. In this contribution, a description of the used method along with selected preliminary experimental results are given and their relevance for novae nucleosynthesis discussed.
The rare isotope beams production at the Texas A&M university Cyclotron Institute
The Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M is currently configuring a scheme for the production of radioactive-ion beams that incorporates a light-ion guide and a heavy-ion guide coupled with an electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source constructed for charge-breeding. This scheme is part of an upgrade to the facility and is intended to produce radioactive beams suitable for injection into the K500 superconducting cyclotron. The current status of the project and details on the ion sources used in the project is presented. peerReviewed
A novel approach to measure the cross section of the 18O(p, α)15N resonant reaction in the 0-200 keV energy range
The 18O(p, ?)15N reaction is of primary importance to pin down the uncertainties, due to nuclear physics input, affecting present-day models of asymptotic giant branch stars. Its reaction rate can modify both fluorine nucleosynthesis inside such stars and oxygen and nitrogen isotopic ratios, which allow one to constrain the proposed astrophysical scenarios. Thus, an indirect measurement of the low-energy region of the 18O(p, ?)15N reaction has been performed to access, for the first time, the range of relevance for astrophysical application. In particular, a full, high-accuracy spectroscopic study of the 20 and 90 keV resonances has been performed and the strengths deduced to evaluate the r…
New High-Precision Measurement of the Reaction Rate of the 18O(p, α)15N Reaction via THM
The 18O(p,alpha)15N reaction rate has been extracted by means of the Trojan-Horse method. For the first time the contribution of the 20-keV peak has been directly evaluated, giving a value about 35% larger than previously estimated. The present approach has allowed to improve the accuracy of a factor 8.5, as it is based on the measured strength instead of educated guesses or spectroscopic measurements. The contribution of the 90-keV resonance has been determined as well, which turned out to be of negligible importance to astrophysics.
Studies of astrophysically interesting nucleus23Al
We have studied the β-delayed proton decay of 23Al with a novel detector setup at the focal plane of the MARS separator at the Texas A&M University to resolve existing controversies about the proton branching of the IAS in 23Mg and to determine the absolute proton branchings by combining our results to the latest βγ-decay data. We have made also a high precision mass measurement of the ground state of 23Al to establish more accurate proton separation energy of 23Al. Here the description of the used techniques along with preliminary results of the experiments are given.
β-decay of [sup 23]Al and nova nucleosynthesis
We have studied the β‐decay of 23Al with a novel detector setup at the focal plane of the MARS separator at the Texas A&M University to resolve existing controversies about the proton intensities of the IAS in 23Mg and to determine the absolute proton branching ratios by combining our results to the latest γ‐decay data. Experimental technique, results and the relevance for nova nucleosynthesis are discussed.