First direct measurement of the ¹⁷F(p,γ)¹⁸Ne cross section

Kelly Chipps, Colorado School of Mines
D. W. Bardayan, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
C. D. Nesaraja, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
S. D. Pain, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
M. S. Smith, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
J. C. Blackmon, Louisiana State University
K. Y. Chae, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
B. H. Moazen, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
S. T. Pittman, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
U. Greife, Colorado School of Mines
R. Hatarik, Rutgers University–New Brunswick
W. A. Peters, Rutgers University–New Brunswick
R. L. Kozub, Tennessee Technological University
J. F. Shriner, Tennessee Technological University
C. Matei, Oak Ridge Assoct. Universities

Abstract

The rate of the 17F(p,γ)18Ne reaction is of significant importance in astrophysical events like novae and x-ray bursts. The decay of 17F is thought to help drive the expansion of the nova envelope, and the 17F(p,γ)18Ne reaction affects the production of 18F, a target of gamma-ray astronomy, as well as being an important link in the (α,p) reaction chain during the ignition phase of x-ray bursts. A 3+ state in 18Ne predicted to dominate the rate was found at 599.8 keV using the 17F(p,p)17F reaction [1], but the resonance strength was unknown. For the first time, the 17F(p,γ)18Ne reaction has been measured directly with the Daresbury Recoil Separator, using a mixed beam of radioactive 17F and stable 17O from the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A γ width was found for the 599.8 keV resonance in 18Ne, and an upper limit on the direct capture S factor was determined at an intermediate energy of 800 keV. © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlikeLicence.