Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2005

Abstract

The degree to which the (p,γ) and (p,α) reactions destroy 18F at temperatures (1-4) × 108 K is important for understanding the synthesis of nuclei in nova explosions and for using the long-lived radionuclide 18F, a target of γ-ray astronomy, as a diagnostic of nova mechanisms. The reactions are dominated by low-lying proton resonances near the I8F+p threshold (Ex = 6.411 MeV in 19Ne). To gain further information about these resonances, we used a radioactive 18F beam from the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility to selectively populate corresponding mirror states in 19F via the inverse 2H(18F,p)19F neutron transfer reaction. Neutron spectroscopic factors were measured for states in 19F in the excitation energy range 0-9 MeV. Widths for corresponding proton resonances in 19Ne were calculated using a Woods-Saxon potential. The results imply significantly lower I8F(p,γ)19Ne and I8F(p,α)15O reaction rates than reported previously, thereby increasing the prospect of observing the 511 keV annihilation radiation associated with the decay of 18F in the ashes ejected from novae. © 2005 The American Physical Society.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics

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