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The detection of the neutrinos produced in the p−p chain and in the CNO cycle can be used to test the Standard Solar Model. The 3He(α,γ)7Be reaction is the first reaction of the 2nd and 3rd branch of the p−p chain, therefore, the uncertainty of its cross section sensitively influences the prediction of the 7Be and 8B neutrino fluxes. Despite its importance and the large number of experimental and theoretical works devoted to this reaction, the knowledge on the reaction cross section at energies characterizing the core of the Sun (15 keV - 30 keV) is limited and further experimental efforts are needed to reach the desired (≈ 3%) accuracy. The precise knowledge on the external capture contribution to the 3He(α,γ)7Be reaction cross section is crucial for the theoretical description of the reaction mechanism. In the present work the indirect measurement of this external capture contribution using the Asymptotic Normalization Coefficient (ANC) technique is reported. To extract the ANC, the angular distributions of deuterons emitted in the 6Li(3He,d)7Be α-transfer reaction were measured with high precision at EH3e = 3.0 MeV and EH3e = 5.0 MeV. The ANCs were then extracted from comparison of DWBA calculations to the measured data and the zero energy astrophysical S-factor for 3He(α,γ)7Be reaction was found to be 0.534 ± 0.025 keVb.

The reaction is considered to be the main neutron source responsible for the production of heavy nuclides (from to ) through slow n-capture nucleosynthesis (s-process) at low temperatures during the asymptotic giant branch phase of low-mass stars (, or LMSs). In recent years, several direct and indirect measurements have been carried out to determine the cross section at the energies of astrophysical interest (around ). However, they yield inconsistent results that cause a highly uncertain reaction rate and affect the neutron release in LMSs. In this work we have combined two indirect approaches, the asymptotic normalization coefficient and the Trojan horse method, to unambiguously determine the absolute value of the astrophysical factor. With these, we have determined a very accurate reaction rate to be introduced into astrophysical models of s-process nucleosynthesis in LMSs. Calculations using this recommended rate have shown limited variations in the production of those neutron-rich nuclei (with ) that receive contribution only by slow neutron captures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine nucleosynthesis represents one of the most intriguing open questions in nuclear astrophysics. It has triggered new measurements which may modify the presently accepted paradigm of fluorine production and establish fluorine as an accurate probe of the inner layers of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Both direct and indirect measurements have attempted to improve the recommended extrapolation to astrophysical energies, showing no resonances. In this work, we will demonstrate that the interplay between direct and indirect techniques represents the most suitable approach to attain the required accuracy for the astrophysical factor at low energies, keV, which is of interest for fluorine nucleosynthesis in AGB stars. We will use the recently measured direct astrophysical factor in the energy interval to renormalize the existing Trojan Horse Method (THM) data spanning the astrophysical energies, accounting for all identified sources of uncertainty. This has a twofold impact on nuclear astrophysics. It shows the robustness of the THM approach even in the case of direct data of questionable quality, as normalization is extended over a broad range, minimizing systematic effects. Moreover, it allows us to obtain more accurate resonance data at astrophysical energies, thanks to the improved direct data. Finally, the present work strongly calls for more accurate direct data at low energies, so that we can obtain a better fitting of the direct reaction mechanism contributing to the astrophysical factor. Indeed, this work points out that the major source of uncertainty affecting the low-energy S(E) factor is the estimate of the non-resonant contribution, as the dominant role of the 113 keV resonance is now well established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]