2015/06/19 by A. M. Howard, M. Münch, M. Munch +14
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical and nuclear sciences #FOS: Physical sciences #Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex) #Nuclear physics research studies #Particle accelerators and beam dynamics #nucl-ex
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1506.05983
openalex publication_date 2015/06/19 · arxiv created 2015/06/23 · arxiv updated 2015/06/24 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
The production of 26 Al in massive stars is sensitive to the 23 Na(a,p) 26 Mg cross section. Recent experimental data suggest the currently recommended cross sections are underestimated by a factor of 40. We present here differential cross sections for the 23 Na(a,p) 26 Mg reaction measured in the energy range E c.m. = 1.7 - 2.5 MeV. Concurrent measurements of Rutherford scattering provide absolute normalisations which are independent of variations in target properties. Angular distributions were measured for both p 0 and p 1 permitting the determination of total cross sections. The results show no significant deviation from the statistical model calculations upon which the recommended rates are based. We therefore retain the previous recommendation without the increase in cross section and resulting stellar reaction rates of a factor of 40, impacting on the 26 Al yield from massive stars by more than a factor of three.