267 research outputs found
Application of the THM to the investigation of reactions induced by unstable nuclei: the 18F(p,a)15O case
The Trojan Horse Method is applied to the investigation of the18F(p,a)15O reaction, by extractingthe quasi free contribution to the2H(18F,a15O)nprocess. For the first time the method is applied to a reaction ofastrophysical importance involving a radioactive nucleus. After investigating the reaction mechanism populat-ing thea+15O+nexit channel, we could extract the18F(p,a)15O cross section and calculate the astrophysicalfactor over the 0-1 MeV energy interval. The possibility of exploring the cross section with no need of ex-trapolation allowed us to to point out the possible occurrence of a 7/2+state at 126 keV, which would stronglyinfluence the trend of the astrophysical factor at the energies of astrophysical interest. However, the low energyresolution prevents us to draw definite conclusions. Possible astrophysical consequences are also discussed,motivating further work on this reaction.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version
Big Bang nucleosynthesis revisited via Trojan Horse Method measurements
Nuclear reaction rates are among the most important input for understanding
the primordial nucleosynthesis and therefore for a quantitative description of
the early Universe. An up-to-date compilation of direct cross sections of
2H(d,p)3H, 2H(d,n)3He, 7Li(p,alpha)4He and 3He(d,p)4He reactions is given.
These are among the most uncertain cross sections used and input for Big Bang
nucleosynthesis calculations. Their measurements through the Trojan Horse
Method (THM) are also reviewed and compared with direct data. The reaction
rates and the corresponding recommended errors in this work were used as input
for primordial nucleosynthesis calculations to evaluate their impact on the 2H,
3,4He and 7Li primordial abundances, which are then compared with observations.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journa
ASTROPHYSICAL IMPACT of the UPDATED 9Be(p,)6Li and 10B(p,)7Be REACTION RATES AS DEDUCED by THM
The complete understanding of the stellar abundances of lithium, beryllium, and boron represents one of the most interesting open problems in astrophysics. These elements are largely used to probe stellar structure and mixing phenomena in different astrophysical scenarios, such as pre-main-sequence or main-sequence stars. Their different fragility against (p,) burning reactions allows one to investigate different depths of the stellar interior. Such fusion mechanisms are triggered at temperatures between T ≈ (2-5) × K, thus defining a corresponding Gamow energy between ≈ 3-10 keV, where S(E)-factor measurements need to be performed to get reliable reaction rate evaluations. The Trojan Horse Method is a well defined procedure to measure cross sections at Gamow energies overcoming the uncertainties due to low-energy S(E)-factor extrapolation as well as electron screening effects. Taking advantage of the measure of the 9Be(p,)6Li and 10B(p,)7Be cross sections, the corresponding reaction rates have been calculated and compared with the evaluations by the NACRE collaboration, widely used in the literature. The impact on surface abundances of the updated 9Be and 10B (p,) burning rates is discussed for pre-MS stars
nuclear physics and its role for describing the early universe
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) requires several nuclear physics inputs and nuclear reaction rates. An up-to-date compilation of direct cross sections of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]He and [Formula: see text]He reactions is given, being these ones among the most uncertain bare-nucleus cross sections. An intense experimental effort has been carried on in the last decade to apply the Trojan Horse Method (THM) to study reactions of relevance for the BBN and measure their astrophysical S(E)-factor. The reaction rates and the relative error for the four reactions of interest are then numerically calculated in the temperature ranges of relevance for BBN [Formula: see text]. These value were then used as input physics for primordial nucleosynthesis calculations in order to evaluate their impact on the calculated primordial abundances and isotopical composition for H, He and Li. New results on the [Formula: see text]He reaction rate were also taken into account.These were compared with the observational primordial abundance estimates in different astrophysical sites. Reactions to be studied in perspective will also be discussed
on the fluorine nucleosynthesis in agb stars in the light of the 19f p α 16o and 19f α p 22ne reaction rate measured via thm
In the last years the [Formula: see text]O and the [Formula: see text]F([Formula: see text],p)[Formula: see text]Ne reactions have been studied via the Trojan Horse Method in the energy range of interest for astrophysics. These are the first experimental data available for the main channels of [Formula: see text]F destruction that entirely cover the energy regions typical of the stellar H- and He- burning. In both cases the reaction rates are significantly larger than the previous estimations available in the literature. We present here a re-analysis of the fluorine nucleosynthesis in Asymptotic Giant Branch stars by employing in state-of-the-art models of stellar nucleosynthesis the THM reaction rates for [Formula: see text]F destruction
Solving the large discrepancy between inclusive and exclusive measurements of the reaction cross section at astrophysical energies
A solution of the large discrepancy existing between inclusive and exclusive
measurements of the reaction
cross section at MeV is evaluated. This problem has profound
astrophysical relevance for this reaction is of great interest in Big-Bang and
r-process nucleosynthesis. By means of a novel technique, a comprehensive study
of all existing cross section
data is carried out, setting up a consistent picture in which all the inclusive
measurements provide the reliable value of the cross section. New unambiguous
signatures of the strong branch pattern non-uniformities, near the threshold of
higher excited levels, are presented and their possible
origin, in terms of the cluster structure of the involved excited states of
and nuclei, is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Nuclear astrophysics and resonant reactions: Exploring the threshold region with the Trojan Horse Method
Resonant reactions play an important role in astrophysics as they might significantly enhance the cross section with respect to the direct reaction contribution and alter the nucleosynthetic flow. Moreover, resonances bear information about states in the intermediate compound nucleus formed in the reaction. However, nuclear reactions in stars take place at energies well below [Formula: see text] MeV and the Coulomb barrier, exponentially suppressing the cross section, and the electron screening effect, due to the shielding of nuclear charges by atomic electrons, make it very difficult to provide accurate input data for astrophysics. Therefore, indirect methods have been introduced; in particular, we will focus on the Trojan Horse Method. We will briefly discuss the theory behind the method, to make clear its domain of applicability, the advantages and the drawbacks, and two recent cases will be shortly reviewed: the [Formula: see text] reaction, which is an important fluorine destruction channel in the proton-rich outer layers of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, and the [Formula: see text] reactions, which play a critical role in astrophysics to understand stellar burning scenarios in carbon-rich environments
Determination of the photodisintegration reaction rates involving charged particles: systematical calculations and proposed measurements based on Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)
Photodisintegration reaction rates involving charged particles are of
relevance to the p-process nucleosynthesis that aims at explaining the
production of the stable neutron-deficient nuclides heavier than iron. In this
study, the cross sections and astrophysical rates of (g,p) and (g,a) reactions
for about 3000 target nuclei with 10<Z<100 ranging from stable to proton
dripline nuclei are computed. To study the sensitivity of the calculations to
the optical model potentials (OMPs), both the phenomenological Woods-Saxon and
the microscopic folding OMPs are taken into account. The systematic comparisons
show that the reaction rates, especially for the (g,a) reaction, are
dramatically influenced by the OMPs. Thus the better determination of the OMP
is crucial to reduce the uncertainties of the photodisintegration reaction
rates involving charged particles. Meanwhile, a gamma-beam facility at ELI-NP
is being developed, which will open new opportunities to experimentally study
the photodisintegration reactions of astrophysics interest. Considering both
the important reactions identified by the nucleosynthesis studies and the
purpose of complementing the experimental results for the reactions involving
p-nuclei, the measurements of six (g,p) and eight (g,a) reactions based on the
gamma-beam facility at ELI-NP and the ELISSA detector for the charged particles
detection are proposed, and the GEANT4 simulations are correspondingly
performed. The minimum required energies of the gamma-beam to measure these
reactions are estimated. It is shown that the direct measurements of these
photonuclear reactions within the Gamow windows at T_9=2.5 for p-process are
fairly feasible and promising at ELI-NP. The expected experimental results will
be used to constrain the OMPs of the charged particles, which can eventually
reduce the uncertainties of the reaction rates for the p-process
nucleosynthesis.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, Phys. Rev. C accepte
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