Waiting points in the astrophysical rp process: How unbound are {sup 69}Br and {sup 73}Rb?

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVC.78.012801· OSTI ID:21192010

Jenkins, David G ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)

One of the key uncertainties in our understanding of the astrophysical rp process is the extent to which even-even N=Z nuclei such as {sup 68}Se and {sup 72}Kr act as waiting points in the process because of the next nucleus in the proton-capture chain being proton unbound. For these specific cases, much of the argument is based on the nonobservation of {sup 69}Br and {sup 73}Rb following projectile fragmentation. An examination of the nuclear structure involved, and the high population of low-lying isomers in the mirror nuclei, {sup 69}Se and {sup 73}Kr in fragmentation, suggests that this nonobservation may be down to a shadowing mechanism where the majority of the population goes to the isomer that proton decays before the ground state can be reached. Strong conclusions on the extent to which the {sup 69}Br and {sup 73}Rb are unbound may therefore be unsafe. The possible astrophysical implications of this are discussed along with the relevance of this shadowing mechanism to the search for exotic nuclei in fragmentation.

• OSTI ID: 21192010
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 78; ISSN 0556-2813; ISSN PRVCAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS
BROMINE 69
CAPTURE
DECAY
FRAGMENTATION
GROUND STATES
ISOMERS
KRYPTON 72
KRYPTON 73
MIRROR NUCLEI
NUCLEAR STRUCTURE
PROTONS
RUBIDIUM 73
SELENIUM 68
SELENIUM 69