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Title: High-precision (p,t) reaction measurement to determine {sup 18}Ne({alpha},p){sup 21}Na reaction rates

Journal Article · · Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics

x-ray bursts are identified as thermonuclear explosions in the outer atmosphere of accreting neutron stars. The thermonuclear runaway is fueled by the {alpha}p process that describes a sequence of ({alpha},p) reactions triggered by the {sup 18}Ne({alpha},p){sup 21}Na breakout reaction from the hot CNO cycles. We studied the level structure of the compound nucleus {sup 22}Mg by measuring the {sup 24}Mg(p,t){sup 22}Mg reaction at the Grand Raiden spectrometer at Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka. A large number of {alpha}-unbound states was identified and precise excitation energies were determined. Based on shell model and {alpha}-cluster model calculations we predict the level parameters for determining the stellar reaction rate of {sup 18}Ne({alpha},p){sup 21}Na for a wide temperature range. x-ray burst simulations have been performed to study the impact of the reaction on the x-ray burst luminosity.

OSTI ID:
21296542
Journal Information:
Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Vol. 80, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.80.055804; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2813
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English