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The radioisotope 26Al is a key observable for nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy and the environment of the early Solar System. To properly interpret the large variety of astronomical and meteoritic data, it is crucial to understand both the nuclear reactions involved in the production of 26Al in the relevant stellar sites and the physics of such sites. These range from the winds of low- and intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars; to massive and very massive stars, both their Wolf–Rayet winds and their final core-collapse supernovae (CCSN); and the ejecta from novae, the explosions that occur on the surface of a white dwarf accreting material from a stellar companion. Several reactions affect the production of 26Al in these astrophysical objects, including (but not limited to) 25Mg(p, γ)26Al, 26Al(p, γ)27Si, and 26Al(n, p/α). Extensive experimental effort has been spent during recent years to improve our understanding of such key reactions. Here we present a summary of the astrophysical motivation for the study of 26Al, a review of its production in the different stellar sites, and a timely evaluation of the currently available nuclear data. We also provide recommendations for the nuclear input into stellar models and suggest relevant, future experimental work.

The SEparator for CApture Reactions (SECAR) is a next-generation recoil separator system at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) designed for the direct measurement of capture reactions on unstable nuclei in inverse kinematics. To maximize the performance of this system, stringent requirements on the beam alignment to the central beam axis and on the ion-optical settings need to be achieved. These can be difficult to attain through manual tuning by human operators without potentially leaving the system in a sub-optimal and irreproducible state. In this work, we present the first development of online Bayesian optimization with a Gaussian process model to tune an ion beam through a nuclear astrophysics recoil separator. We show that this method achieves small incoming angular deviations (\textless 1 mrad) in an efficient and reproducible manner that is at least three times faster than standard hand-tuning. Additionally, we present a Bayesian method for experimental optimization of the ion optics, and show that it validates the nominal theoretical ion-optical settings of the device, and improves the mass separation by 32\% for some beams.

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Contract No. DEAC02-06CH11357 and Grants No. DEFG02-94-ER40834, DEFG02-97-ER41041, DEFG02-97-ER41043, DEFG02-94-ER40848, and DESC0014231. UK personnel were supported by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) and C. A. was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. J. J. acknowledges support by the Spanish MINECO Grant No. AYA2017-86274-P, by the E. U. FEDER funds, and by the AGAUR/Generalitat de Catalunya Grant No. SGR661/2017. This research uses resources of ANL’s ATLAS facility, which is a DOE Office of Science User facility.

A systematic study of neutron-hole strength in the N = 81 nuclei 137Ba, 139Ce, 141Nd and 143Sm is reported. The single-neutron removal reactions (p,d) and (3He,) were measured at energies of 23 and 34 MeV, respectively. Spectroscopic factors were extracted from measured cross sectionsthrough a distorted-wave Born approximation analysis and centroids of single-particle strength have been established. The change in these centroid energies as a function of proton number have been compared to calculations of the monopole shift for the s1=2 and h11=2 orbitals, where the majorityof the strength has been observed. Signicant fragmentation of strength was observed for the d and g7=2 orbitals, particularly for the latter orbital which is deeply bound, with summed strengths that indicate a signicant amount lies outside of the measured excitation energy range.

The discovery of presolar grains in primitive meteorites has initiated a new era of research in the study of stellar nucleosynthesis. However, the accurate classification of presolar grains as being of specific stellar origins is particularly challenging. Recently, it has been suggested that sulfur isotopic abundances may hold the key to definitively identifying presolar grains with being of nova origins and, in this regard, the astrophysical 33Cl(p,γ)34Ar reaction is expected to play a decisive role. As such, we have performed a detailed γ-ray spectroscopy study of 34Ar. Excitation energies have been measured with high precision and spin-parity assignments for resonant states, located above the proton threshold in 34Ar, have been made for the first time. Uncertainties in the 33Cl(p,γ) reaction have been dramatically reduced and the results indicate that a newly identified ℓ=0 resonance at Er=396.9(13) keV dominates the entire rate for T=0.25–0.40GK. Furthermore, nova hydrodynamic simulations based on the present work indicate an ejected 32S/33S abundance ratio distinctive from type-II supernovae and potentially compatible with recent measurements of a presolar grain., This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Contract No. DEAC02-06CH11357 and Grants No. DEFG02-94-ER40834, DEFG02-97-ER41041, DEFG02-97-ER41043, DEFG02-94-ER40848, and DESC0014231. UK personnel were supported by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) and C. A. was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. J. J. acknowledges support by the Spanish MINECO Grant No. AYA2017-86274-P, by the E. U. FEDER funds, and by the AGAUR/Generalitat de Catalunya Grant No. SGR661/2017. This research uses resources of ANL’s ATLAS facility, which is a DOE Office of Science User facility.

A beam containing a substantial component of both the $J^{\pi}=5^+$, $T_{1/2}=162$ ns isomeric state of $^{18}$F and its $1^+$, 109.77-min ground state has been utilized to study members of the ground-state rotational band in $^{19}$F through the neutron transfer reaction $(d$,$p)$ in inverse kinematics. The resulting spectroscopic strengths confirm the single-particle nature of the 13/2$^+$ band-terminating state. The agreement between shell-model calculations, using an interaction constructed within the $sd$ shell, and our experimental results reinforces the idea of a single-particle/collective duality in the descriptions of the structure of atomic nuclei.

International audience; Carbon burning is a critical phase for nucleosynthesis in massive stars. The conditions for igniting this burning stage, and the subsequent isotope composition of the resulting ashes, depend strongly on the reaction rate for C12+C12 fusion at very low energies. Results for the cross sections for this reaction are influenced by various backgrounds encountered in measurements at such energies. In this paper, we report on a new measurement of C12+C12 fusion cross sections where these backgrounds have been minimized. It is found that the astrophysical S factor exhibits a maximum around Ecm=3.5–4.0 MeV, which leads to a reduction of the previously predicted astrophysical reaction rate.

Background: The $^{17}\mathrm{F}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction is part of the astrophysical ``hot CNO'' cycles that are important in astrophysical environments like novas. Its thermal reaction rate is low owing to the relatively high energy of the resonances and therefore is dominated by direct, nonresonant capture in stellar environments at temperatures below 0.4 GK.Purpose: An experimental method is established to extract the proton strength to bound and unbound states in experiments with radioactive ion beams and to determine the parameters of direct and resonant capture in the $^{17}\mathrm{F}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction.Method: The $^{17}\mathrm{F}(d,n)^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction is measured in inverse kinematics using a beam of the short-lived isotope $^{17}\mathrm{F}$ and a compact setup of neutron, proton, $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray, and heavy-ion detectors called resoneut.Results: The spectroscopic factors for the lowest $l=0$ proton resonances at ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=0.60$ and 1.17 MeV are determined, yielding results consistent within $1.4\ensuremath{\sigma}$ of previous proton elastic-scattering measurements. The asymptotic normalization coefficients of the bound ${2}_{1}^{+}$ and ${2}_{2}^{+}$ states in $^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$ are determined and the resulting direct-capture reaction rates are extracted.Conclusions: The direct-capture component of the $^{17}\mathrm{F}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction is determined for the first time from experimental data on $^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$.

The existence of ^{26}Al (t_{1/2}=7.17×10^{5} yr) in the interstellar medium provides a direct confirmation of ongoing nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy. The presence of a low-lying 0^{+} isomer (^{26}Al^{m}), however, severely complicates the astrophysical calculations. We present for the first time a study of the ^{26}Al^{m}(d,p)^{27}Al reaction using an isomeric ^{26}Al beam. The selectivity of this reaction allowed the study of ℓ=0 transfers to T=1/2, and T=3/2 states in ^{27}Al. Mirror symmetry arguments were then used to constrain the ^{26}Al^{m}(p,γ)^{27}Si reaction rate and provide an experimentally determined upper limit of the rate for the destruction of isomeric ^{26}Al via radiative proton capture reactions, which is expected to dominate the destruction path of ^{26}Al^{m} in asymptotic giant branch stars, classical novae, and core collapse supernovae.

The $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{20}\mathrm{Na}$ reaction is the second step of a reaction chain which breaks out from the hot CNO cycle, following the $^{15}\mathrm{O}(\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma})^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction at the onset of x-ray burst events. We investigate the spectrum of the lowest proton-unbound states in $^{20}\mathrm{Na}$ in an effort to resolve contradictions in spin-parity assignments and extract reliable information about the thermal reaction rate. The proton-transfer reaction $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}(d,n)^{20}\mathrm{Na}$ is measured with a beam of the radioactive isotope $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ at an energy around the Coulomb barrier and in inverse kinematics. We observe three proton resonances with the $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ ground state, at 0.44, 0.66, and 0.82 MeV c.m. energies, which are assigned ${3}^{+}$, ${1}^{+}$, and (${0}^{+}$), respectively. In addition, we identify two resonances with the first excited state in $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$, one at 0.20 MeV and one, tentatively, at 0.54 MeV. These observations allow us for the first time to experimentally quantify the astrophysical reaction rate on an excited nuclear state. Our experiment shows an efficient path for thermal proton capture in $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{20}\mathrm{Na}$, which proceeds through ground state and excited-state capture in almost equal parts and eliminates the possibility for this reaction to create a bottleneck in the breakout from the hot CNO cycle.

We have studied the $^{14,15}\mathrm{C}(d,^{3}\mathrm{He})^{13,14}\mathrm{B}$ proton-removing reactions in inverse kinematics. The $(d,^{3}\mathrm{He})$ reaction probes the proton occupation of the target ground state, and also provides spectroscopic information about the final states in $^{13,14}\mathrm{B}$. The experiments were performed using $^{14,15}\mathrm{C}$ beams from the ATLAS accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory. The reaction products were analyzed with the HELIOS device. Angular distributions were obtained for transitions from both reactions. The $^{14}\mathrm{C}$-beam data reveal transitions to excited states in $^{13}\mathrm{B}$ that suggest configurations with protons outside the $\ensuremath{\pi}(0{p}_{3/2})$ orbital, and some possibility of proton cross-shell $0p\text{\ensuremath{-}}1s0d$ excitations, in the $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ ground state. The $^{15}\mathrm{C}$-beam data confirm the existence of a broad ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ excited state in $^{14}\mathrm{B}$. The experimental data are compared to the results of shell-model calculations.

The near-term radioactive beam capabilities of ATLAS include radioactive beams produced in flight in a gas cell, or starting in the fall of 2009, re-accelerated beams of 252 Cf fission fragments provided by the new CARIBU injector. The availability of such exotic beams will allow for detailed studies of the single-particle aspects of nuclear structure in neutron-rich nuclei reaching out to the astrophysical r-process path by employing light-ion reactions in inverse kinematics. The HELIOS spectrometer is based on a new concept that is especially well suited for such studies. This concept was recently demonstrated using the reactions D (28 Si , p )29 Si with a (stable) 168 MeV 28 Si beam. Since then D (12 B , p )13 B , D (17 O , p )18 O , and D (15 C , p )16 C have been studied successfully. The combination of neutron-rich beams from CARIBU and the HELIOS spectrometer opens a fertile research area of precision studies of the single particle strengths and collective excitations in exotic nuclei, and is likely to have applications in other reactions as well.

The ^{19}Ne(p,γ)^{20}Na reaction is the second step of a reaction chain which breaks out from the hot CNO cycle, following the ^{15}O(α,γ)^{19}Ne reaction at the onset of x-ray burst events. We investigate the spectrum of the lowest proton-unbound states in ^{20}Na in an effort to resolve contradictions in spin-parity assignments and extract reliable information about the thermal reaction rate. The proton-transfer reaction ^{19}Ne(d,n)^{20}Na is measured with a beam of the radioactive isotope ^{19}Ne at an energy around the Coulomb barrier and in inverse kinematics. We observe three proton resonances with the ^{19}Ne ground state, at 0.44, 0.66, and 0.82 MeV c.m. energies, which are assigned 3^{+}, 1^{+}, and (0^{+}), respectively. In addition, we identify two resonances with the first excited state in ^{19}Ne, one at 0.20 MeV and one, tentatively, at 0.54 MeV. These observations allow us for the first time to experimentally quantify the astrophysical reaction rate on an excited nuclear state. Our experiment shows an efficient path for thermal proton capture in ^{19}Ne(p,γ)^{20}Na, which proceeds through ground state and excited-state capture in almost equal parts and eliminates the possibility for this reaction to create a bottleneck in the breakout from the hot CNO cycle.

In the standard model, the weak interaction is formulated with a purely vector-axial-vector (V-A) structure. Without restriction on the chirality of the neutrino, the most general limits on tensor currents from nuclear β decay are dominated by a single measurement of the β-ν[over ¯] correlation in ^{6}He β decay dating back over a half century. In the present work, the β-ν[over ¯]-α correlation in the β decay of ^{8}Li and subsequent α-particle breakup of the ^{8}Be^{*} daughter was measured. The results are consistent with a purely V-A interaction and in the case of couplings to right-handed neutrinos (C_{T}=-C_{T}^{'}) limits the tensor fraction to |C_{T}/C_{A}|^{2}0.011 (95.5% C.L.). The measurement confirms the ^{6}He result using a different nuclear system and employing modern ion-trapping techniques subject to different systematic uncertainties.

The 1809-keV γ ray from the decay of (26)Al(g) is an important target for γ-ray astronomy. In the convective C/Ne burning shell of massive presupernova stars, the (23)Na(α,p)(26)Mg reaction directly influences the production of (26)Al. We have performed a direct measurement of the (23)Na(α,p)(26)Mg reaction cross section at the appropriate astrophysically important energies. The stellar rate calculated in the present work is larger than the recommended rate by nearly a factor of 40 and could strongly affect the production of (26)Al in massive stars.

The ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction is important for constraining predictions of certain isotopic abundances in oxygen-neon novae. Models currently predict as much as 150 times the solar abundance of ${}^{33}$S in oxygen-neon nova ejecta. This overproduction factor may vary by orders of magnitude due to uncertainties in the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction rate at nova peak temperatures. Depending on this rate, ${}^{33}$S could potentially be used as a diagnostic tool for classifying certain types of presolar grains. Better knowledge of the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl rate would also aid in interpreting nova observations over the S-Ca mass region and contribute to the firm establishment of the maximum endpoint of nova nucleosynthesis. Additionally, the total S elemental abundance which is affected by this reaction has been proposed as a thermometer to study the peak temperatures of novae. Previously, the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction rate had only been studied directly down to resonance energies of 432 keV. However, for nova peak temperatures of $0.2--0.4$ GK there are seven known states in ${}^{34}$Cl both below the 432-keV resonance and within the Gamow window that could play a dominant role. Direct measurements of the resonance strengths of these states were performed using the DRAGON (Detector of Recoils And Gammas of Nuclear reactions) recoil separator at TRIUMF. Additionally two new states within this energy region are reported. Several hydrodynamic simulations have been performed, using all available experimental information for the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl rate, to explore the impact of the remaining uncertainty in this rate on nucleosynthesis in nova explosions. These calculations give a range of $\ensuremath{\approx}$20--150 for the expected ${}^{33}$S overproduction factor, and a range of $\ensuremath{\approx}$100--450 for the ${}^{32}$S/${}^{33}$S ratio expected in ONe novae.

A measurement of the α-β-ν[over ¯] angular correlation in the Gamow-Teller decay (8)Li→(8)Be(*)+ν[over ¯]+β, (8)Be(*)→α+α has been performed using ions confined in a linear Paul trap surrounded by silicon detectors. The energy difference spectrum of the α particles emitted along and opposite the direction of the β particle is consistent with the standard model prediction and places a limit of 3.1% (95.5% confidence level) on any tensor contribution to the decay. From this result, the amplitude of any tensor component C(T) relative to that of the dominant axial-vector component C(A) of the electroweak interaction is limited to |C(T)/C(A)|0.18 (95.5% confidence level). This experimental approach is facilitated by several favorable features of the (8)Li β decay and has different systematic effects than the previous β-ν[over ¯] correlation results for a pure Gamow-Teller transition obtained from studying (6)He β decay.

The (18)F(p,α)(15)O reaction rate is crucial for constraining model predictions of the γ-ray observable radioisotope (18)F produced in novae. The determination of this rate is challenging due to particular features of the level scheme of the compound nucleus, (19)Ne, which result in interference effects potentially playing a significant role. The dominant uncertainty in this rate arises from interference between J(π)=3/2(+) states near the proton threshold (S(p)=6.411 MeV) and a broad J(π)=3/2(+) state at 665 keV above threshold. This unknown interference term results in up to a factor of 40 uncertainty in the astrophysical S-factor at nova temperatures. Here we report a new measurement of states in this energy region using the (19)F((3)He,t)(19)Ne reaction. In stark contrast to previous assumptions we find at least 3 resonances between the proton threshold and E(cm)=50 keV, all with different angular distributions. None of these are consistent with J(π)=3/2(+) angular distributions. We find that the main uncertainty now arises from the unknown proton width of the 48 keV resonance, not from possible interference effects. Hydrodynamic nova model calculations performed indicate that this unknown width affects (18)F production by at least a factor of two in the model considered.

The uncertainty in the 29P(p,gamma)30S reaction rate over the temperature range of 0.1 - 1.3 GK was previously determined to span ~4 orders of magnitude due to the uncertain location of two previously unobserved 3+ and 2+ resonances in the 4.7 - 4.8 MeV excitation region in 30S. Therefore, the abundances of silicon isotopes synthesized in novae, which are relevant for the identification of presolar grains of putative nova origin, were uncertain by a factor of 3. To investigate the level structure of 30S above the proton threshold (4394.9(7) keV), a charged-particle spectroscopy and an in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy experiments were performed. Differential cross sections of the 32S(p,t)30S reaction were measured at 34.5 MeV. Distorted wave Born approximation calculations were performed to constrain the spin-parity assignments of the observed levels. An energy level scheme was deduced from gamma-gamma coincidence measurements using the 28Si(3He,n-gamma)30S reaction. Spin-parity assignments based on measurements of gamma-ray angular distributions and gamma-gamma directional correlation from oriented nuclei were made for most of the observed levels of 30S. As a result, the resonance energies corresponding to the excited states in 4.5 MeV - 6 MeV region, including the two astrophysically important states predicted previously, are measured with significantly better precision than before. The uncertainty in the rate of the 29P(p,gamma)30S reaction is substantially reduced over the temperature range of interest. Finally, the influence of this rate on the abundance ratios of silicon isotopes synthesized in novae are obtained via 1D hydrodynamic nova simulations., Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures

The ${}^{31}\mathrm{S}{(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{32}$Cl reaction is expected to provide the dominant break-out path from the SiP cycle in novae and is important for understanding enrichments of sulfur observed in some nova ejecta. We studied the ${}^{32}\mathrm{S}{{(}^{3}\mathrm{He},t)}^{32}$Cl charge-exchange reaction to determine properties of proton-unbound levels in ${}^{32}$Cl that have previously contributed significant uncertainties to the ${}^{31}\mathrm{S}{(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{32}$Cl reaction rate. Measured triton magnetic rigidities were used to determine excitation energies in ${}^{32}$Cl. Proton-branching ratios were obtained by detecting decay protons from unbound ${}^{32}$Cl states in coincidence with tritons. An improved ${}^{31}\mathrm{S}{(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})}^{32}$Cl reaction rate was calculated including robust statistical and systematic uncertainties.

The fusion cross section of 60 Ni + 100 Mo has been measured down to microbarn level, looking for hindrance at low energy, in a system with positive Q-values for neutron transfer. The measured cross sections look similar to those of the nearby 64 Ni + 100 Mo, but no conclusive statement can be made at this stage, as to the onset of hindrance in this system.

The structure of (15)C, with an s(1/2) neutron weakly bound to a closed-neutron shell nucleus (14)C, makes it a prime candidate for a one-neutron halo nucleus. We have for the first time studied the cross section for the fusion-fission reaction (15)C+(232)Th at energies in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier and compared it to the yield of the neighboring (14)C+(232)Th system measured in the same experiment. At sub-barrier energies, an enhancement of the fusion yield by factors of 2-5 was observed for (15)C, while the cross sections for (14)C match the trends measured for (12,13)C.

Reduced uncertainty in the thermonuclear rate of the {sup 33}S(p,{gamma}){sup 34}Cl reaction would help to improve our understanding of nucleosynthesis in classical nova explosions. At present, models are generally in concordance with observations that nuclei up to roughly the calcium region may be produced in these explosive phenomena; better knowledge of this rate would help with the quantitative interpretation of nova observations over the S-Ca mass region, and contribute towards the firm establishment of a nucleosynthetic endpoint. As well, models find that the ejecta of nova explosions on massive oxygen-neon white dwarfs may contain as much as 150 times the solar abundance of {sup 33}S. This characteristic isotopic signature of a nova explosion could possibly be observed through the analysis of microscopic grains formed in the environment surrounding a nova and later embedded within primitive meteorites. An improved {sup 33}S(p,{gamma}){sup 34}Cl rate (the principal destruction mechanism for {sup 33}S in novae) would help to ensure a robust model prediction for the amount of {sup 33}S that may be produced. Finally, constraining this rate could confirm or rule out the decay of an isomeric state of {sup 34}Cl(E{sub x} = 146 keV, t{sub 1/2} = 32 m) as a source formore » observable gamma-rays from novae. We have performed several complementary experiments dedicated to improving our knowledge of the {sup 33}S(p,{gamma}){sup 34}Cl rate, using both indirect methods (measurement of the {sup 34}S({sup 3}He,t){sup 34}Cl and {sup 33}S({sup 3}He,d){sup 34}Cl reactions with the Munich Q3D spectrograph) and direct methods (in normal kinematics at CENPA, University of Washington, and in inverse kinematics with the DRAGON recoil mass separator at TRIUMF). Our results will be used with nova models to facilitate comparisons of model predictions with present and future nova observables.« less

The structure of proton-unbound states in {sup 30}{sub S} and {sup 31}{sub S} is important for determining the {sup 29}P(p,{gamma}){sup 30}S and {sup 30}P(p,{gamma}){sup 31}S reaction rates, which influence explosive hydrogen burning in classical novae. The former reaction rate in this temperature regime had been previously predicted to be dominated by two low-lying, unobserved, J{sup {pi}} = 3{sup +} and 2{sup +} resonances in {sup 30}S. To search for evidence for these levels, the structure of {sup 30}{sub S} was studied using the {sup 32}S(p,t){sup 30}S reaction with a magnetic spectrograph. We provide an update on the status of the ongoing analysis and some preliminary results.

The radiative proton-capture reactions {sup 19}Ne(p,{gamma}){sup 20}Na, {sup 23}Mg(p,{gamma}){sup 24}Al, {sup 27}Si(p,{gamma}){sup 28}P, {sup 31}S(p,{gamma}){sup 32}Cl, and {sup 35}Ar(p,{gamma}){sup 36}K potentially influence energy generation and/or nucleosynthesis during explosive hydrogen burning in classical novae and/or type I x-ray bursts. The thermonuclear rates of these reactions are dependent on resonance energies E{sub r}=E{sub x}-Q and strengths {omega}{gamma}. The {sup 20}Ne({sup 3}He,t){sup 20}Na, {sup 24}Mg({sup 3}He,t){sup 24}Al, {sup 28}Si({sup 3}He,t){sup 28}P, {sup 32}S({sup 3}He,t){sup 32}Cl, and {sup 36}Ar({sup 3}He,t){sup 36}K reactions have been measured using a 32-MeV, {sup 3}He{sup 2+} beam; ion-implanted carbon-foil targets developed at the University of Washington; and the Munich Q3D magnetic spectrograph. This experiment has already yielded precision mass measurements of {sup 20}Na, {sup 24}Al, {sup 28}P, and {sup 32}Cl [C. Wrede et al., Phys. Rev. C 81, 055503 (2010)], which are used presently to constrain the corresponding (p,{gamma}) reaction Q values. The new {sup 24}Al and {sup 28}P masses resolve a discrepancy in the energy of the lowest-energy resonance in the {sup 23}Mg(p,{gamma}){sup 24}Al reaction and better constrain a direct measurement of its strength. Excitation energies in {sup 32}Cl and {sup 36}K have also been measured. An important new proton-unbound level has been found at E{sub x}=2196.9(7) keVmore » in {sup 36}K and the uncertainties in {sup 36}K excitation energies have been reduced by over an order of magnitude. Using the new data on {sup 36}K, the A=36, T=1 triplets have been reassigned. The thermonuclear {sup 35}Ar(p,{gamma}){sup 36}K reaction rate is found to be much higher than a commonly adopted rate and this could affect energy generation in type I x-ray bursts.« less

We have studied the ¹⁵C(d,p)¹⁶C reaction in inverse kinematics using the Helical Orbit Spectrometer at Argonne National Laboratory. Prior studies of electromagnetic-transition rates in ¹⁶C suggested an exotic decoupling of the valence neutrons from the core in that nucleus. Neutron-adding spectroscopic factors give a different probe of the wave functions of the relevant states in ¹⁶C. Shell-model calculations reproduce both the present transfer data and the previously measured transition rates, suggesting that ¹⁶C may be described without invoking very exotic phenomena.

The lowest-energy resonance in the $^{23}\mathrm{Mg}$($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)$^{24}\mathrm{Al}$ reaction, which is dominant at classical nova temperatures, has been measured directly for the first time using the DRAGON recoil spectrometer. The experiment used a radioactive $^{23}\mathrm{Mg}$ beam (mixed within a significantly stronger $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ beam) of peak intensity $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ $\mathrm{s}{}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, at the ISAC facility at TRIUMF. We extract values of ${E}_{R}={485.7}_{\ensuremath{-}1.8}^{+1.3}$ keV and $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\gamma}={38}_{\ensuremath{-}15}^{+21}$ meV from our data (all values in the center-of-mass frame unless otherwise stated). In addition, the experiment prompted a recalculation of the $Q$ value for this reaction based on a revision of the $^{24}\mathrm{Al}$ mass. The effect on the uncertainties in the quantities of ejected $^{22}\mathrm{Na}$ and $^{26}\mathrm{Al}$ from oxygen-neon classical novae is discussed.

We have developed a technique using a gas‐filled magnetic spectrograph which enables us to study (α,p) transfer reactions of astrophysical interest in inverse kinematics and by means of the time‐inverse reactions. We present preliminary experimental results of the reaction 30P(α,p)33S which confirm that the technique permits the study of these kinds of transfer reactions.

A small fraction of presolar SiC grains is suggested to have been formed in the ejecta of classical novae. The Si isotopic abundances in such grains can be determined from the 29P(p,γ)30S reaction rate at nova temperatures. The Si isotopic abundances provide us with information on the nature of the probable white dwarf progenitor’s core, as well as the peak temperatures achieved during nova outbursts, and thus the nova nucleosynthetic path. The 29P(p,γ)30S reaction rate at nova temperatures is determined by two low‐lying 3+ and 2+ resonances above the proton threshold at 4399 keV in 30S. However, only one of these two states has only been observed very recently. We have studied the 30S nuclear structure via the 32S(p,t)30S reaction at 5 laboratory angles between 9° to 62°. We have observed 14 states, eleven of which are above the proton threshold, including two levels at 4692.7±4.5 keV and 4813.8±3.4 keV that are candidates for the 3+ and the previously “missing” 2+ state, respectively.

The double-{beta}-decay Q values of {sup 130}Te, {sup 128}Te, and {sup 120}Te have been determined from parent-daughter mass differences measured with the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer. The {sup 132}Xe-{sup 129}Xe mass difference, which is precisely known, was also determined to confirm the accuracy of these results. The {sup 130}Te Q value was found to be 2527.01{+-}0.32 keV, which is 3.3 keV lower than the 2003 Atomic Mass Evaluation recommended value and is consistent with another recent Penning trap measurement. The {sup 128}Te and {sup 120}Te Q values were found to be 865.87{+-}1.31 and 1714.81{+-}1.25 keV, respectively. For {sup 120}Te, this reduction in uncertainty of nearly a factor of 8 opens up the possibility of using this isotope for sensitive searches for neutrinoless double-electron capture and electron capture with {beta}{sup +}emission.

In astrophysics, the first excited 0+ state of 12C at 7.654 MeV (Hoyle state) is the most important in the triple‐α process for carbon nucleosynthesis. In explosive scenarios like supernovae, where temperatures of several 109 K are achieved, the interference of the Hoyle state with the second 0+ state located at 10.3 MeV in 12C becomes significant. The recent NACRE compilation of astrophysical reaction rates assumes a 2+ resonance at 9.1 MeV for which no experimental evidence exists. Thus, it is critical to explore in more detail the 7–10 MeV excitation energy region, especially the minimum between the two 0+ resonances for carbon nucleosynthesis. The states in 12C were populated through the β‐decay of 12B and 12N produced at the ATLAS (Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System) in‐flight facility. The decay of 12C into three alphas is detected in a Frisch grid twin ionization chamber, acting as a low‐threshold calorimeter. This minimizes the effects of β‐summing and allowed us to investigate the minimum ab...

Evidence of the ongoing nucleosynthesis of 26Al in our galaxy has been found in presolar grains and in observations of the 1.809‐MeV γ ray, which results from the β decay of the ground state of 26Al (26gAl; t1/2 = 7.2x 105 yrs) to an excited state in 26Mg. The nucleosynthesis of 26Al is complicated by the existence of the isomeric state, 26mAl, at 228 keV (t1/2 = 6.3 s), which must be treated independently from 26gAl in certain stellar environments, such as ONe novae, where temperatures are below 0.4 GK [1]. 26mAl β decays directly to 26gMg, bypassing the emission of the 1.809‐MeV γ ray. The 26gAl(p,γ)27Si and 26mAl(p,γ)27Si reactions destroy 26Al in novae and have a direct impact on the net amount of 26Al produced. While the 26gAl(p,γ)27Si reaction rate has been studied extensively, there has been virtually no information published on resonances of the 26mAl(p,γ)27Si reaction and previously published reaction rates [2] have been based on 26gAl+p resonances and Hauser‐Feshbach calculations. The 27Al(3He,t...