Measurement of the O17(p,α)N14 cross section at stellar energies

J. C. Blackmon, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A. E. Champagne, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M. A. Hofstee, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M. S. Smith, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
R. G. Downing, National Institute of Standards and Technology
G. P. Lamaze, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Abstract

The cross section for the astrophysically important O17(p,α)N14 reaction was measured at proton energies of 75 and 65 keV. Thick, high-purity Ta2O5 targets (77% enriched O17) and large-area detectors were used with beam currents of 0.45 mA. Backgrounds were measured using Ta2O5 targets of natural isotopic composition. The expected resonance at Ep=70 keV was observed in the data taken at 75 keV, and its proton width was found to be 22± 3stat±2target -1beam+2 neV. © 1995 The American Physical Society.