2022/09/14 by A. Psaltis, A. A. Chen, Psaltis, A. +39
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Particle accelerators and beam dynamics #Neutrino Physics Research #Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2209.06472
A possible mechanism to explain the origin of the light p-nuclei in the Galaxy is the nucleosynthesis in the proton-rich neutrino-driven wind ejecta of core-collapse supernovae via the νp-process. However this production scenario is very sensitive to the underlying supernova dynamics and the nuclear physics input. As far as the nuclear uncertainties are concerned, the breakout from the pp-chains via the 7Be(α,γ)11C reaction has been identified as an important link which can influence the nuclear flow and therefore the efficiency of the νp-process. However its reaction rate is poorly known over the relevant temperature range, T = 1.5-3 GK. We report on the first direct measurement of two resonances of the 7Be(α,γ)11C reaction with previously unknown strengths using an intense radioactive 7Be beam from the ISAC facility and the DRAGON recoil separator in inverse kinematics. We have decreased the 7Be(α,γ)11C reaction rate uncertainty to ∼ 9.4-10.7% over the relevant temperature region.