597 research outputs found
Proton Threshold States in the 22Na(p,gamma)23Mg Reaction and Astrophysical Implications
Proton threshold states in 23Mg are important for the astrophysically
relevant proton capture reaction 22Na(p,gamma)23Mg. In the indirect
determination of the resonance strength of the lowest states, which were not
accessible by direct methods, some of the spin-parity assignments remained
experimentally uncertain. We have investigated these states with Shell Model,
Coulomb displacement, and Thomas-Ehrman shift calculations. From the comparison
of calculated and observed properties we relate the lowest relevant resonance
state at E=7643 keV to an excited 3/2+ state in accordance with a recent
experimental determination by Jenkins et al.. From this we deduce significantly
improved values for the 22Na(p,gamma)23Mg reaction rate at stellar temperatures
below T_9=0.1K.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 6 table
The reaction 13C(alpha,n)16O: a background for the observation of geo-neutrinos
The absolute cross section of the C(,n)O reaction has
been measured at E = 0.8 to 8.0 MeV with an overall accuracy of 4%.
The precision is needed to subtract reliably a background in the observation of
geo-neutrinos, e.g. in the KamLAND detector.Comment: LaTex file, 13 pages including 3 ps figures. Any request to
[email protected]. Phys. Rev . C, to appea
Study of the 12C+12C fusion reactions near the Gamow energy
The fusion reactions 12C(12C,a)20Ne and 12C(12C,p)23Na have been studied from
E = 2.10 to 4.75 MeV by gamma-ray spectroscopy using a C target with ultra-low
hydrogen contamination. The deduced astrophysical S(E)* factor exhibits new
resonances at E <= 3.0 MeV, in particular a strong resonance at E = 2.14 MeV,
which lies at the high-energy tail of the Gamow peak. The resonance increases
the present non-resonant reaction rate of the alpha channel by a factor of 5
near T = 8x10^8 K. Due to the resonance structure, extrapolation to the Gamow
energy E_G = 1.5 MeV is quite uncertain. An experimental approach based on an
underground accelerator placed in a salt mine in combination with a high
efficiency detection setup could provide data over the full E_G energy range.Comment: 4 Pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let
Thermonuclear Ti-42(p, gamma)V-43 rate in type-I x-ray bursts
The thermonuclear rate of the Ti-42(p, gamma)V-43 reaction has been reevaluated based on a recent precise proton separation energy measurement of S-p(V-43) = 83 +/- 43 keV. The astrophysical impact of our new rates has been investigated through one-zone postprocessing type-I x-ray burst calculations. It shows that the new experimental value of S-p significantly affects the yields of species for A approximate to 40-45. As well, the precision of the recent experimental S-p value constrains these yields to better than a factor of 3.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Activation measurement of the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section at low energy
The nuclear physics input from the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section is a
major uncertainty in the fluxes of 7Be and 8B neutrinos from the Sun predicted
by solar models and in the 7Li abundance obtained in big-bang nucleosynthesis
calculations. The present work reports on a new precision experiment using the
activation technique at energies directly relevant to big-bang nucleosynthesis.
Previously such low energies had been reached experimentally only by the
prompt-gamma technique and with inferior precision. Using a windowless gas
target, high beam intensity and low background gamma-counting facilities, the
3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section has been determined at 127, 148 and 169 keV
center-of-mass energy with a total uncertainty of 4%. The sources of systematic
uncertainty are discussed in detail. The present data can be used in big-bang
nucleosynthesis calculations and to constrain the extrapolation of the
3He(alpha,gamma)7Be astrophysical S-factor to solar energies
Luttinger-Liquid Behavior in the Alternating Spin-Chain System Copper Nitrate
We determine the phase diagram of copper nitrate Cu(NO)2.5DO
in the context of quantum phase transitions and novel states of matter. We
establish this compound as an ideal candidate to study quasi-1D Luttinger
liquids, 3D Bose-Einstein-Condensation of triplons, and the crossover between
1D and 3D physics. Magnetocaloric effect, magnetization, and neutron scattering
data provide clear evidence for transitions into a Luttinger liquid regime and
a 3D long-range ordered phase as function of field and temperature. Theoretical
simulations of this model material allow us to fully establish the phase
diagram and to discuss it in the context of dimerized spin systems.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Astrophysical Reaction Rates for B(p,)Be and B(p,)Be From a Direct Model
The reactions B(p,)Be and B(p,)Be
are studied at thermonuclear energies using DWBA calculations. For both
reactions, transitions to the ground states and first excited states are
investigated. In the case of B(p,)Be, a resonance at
keV can be consistently described in the potential model, thereby
allowing the extension of the astrophysical -factor data to very low
energies. Strong interference with a resonance at about keV
require a Breit-Wigner description of that resonance and the introduction of an
interference term for the reaction B(p,)Be. Two
isospin resonances (at keV and keV)
observed in the B+p reactions necessitate Breit-Wigner resonance and
interference terms to fit the data of the B(p,)Be
reaction. -factors and thermonuclear reaction rates are given for each
reaction. The present calculation is the first consistent parametrization for
the transition to the ground states and first excited states at low energies.Comment: 27 pages, 5 Postscript figures, uses RevTex and aps.sty; preprint
also available at http://quasar.physik.unibas.ch/ Phys. Rev. C, in pres
Thermal neutron induced (n,p) and (n,alpha) reactions on 37Ar
The 37Ar(n_th,alpha)34S and 37Ar(n_th,p)37Cl reactions were studied at the
high flux reactor of the ILL in Grenoble. For the 37Ar(n_th,alpha_0) and
37Ar(n_th,p) reaction cross sections, values of (1070+/-80)b and (37+/-4)b,
respectively, were obtained. Both values are about a factor 2 smaller than
results of older measurements. The observed suppression of the 37(n_th,alpha_1)
transition could be verified from theoretical considerations. Finally, evidence
was found for the two-step 37Ar(n_th,gamma-alpha) process.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics
Atomic effects in astrophysical nuclear reactions
Two models are presented for the description of the electron screening
effects that appear in laboratory nuclear reactions at astrophysical energies.
The two-electron screening energy of the first model agrees very well with the
recent LUNA experimental result for the break-up reaction , which so far defies all available theoretical models.
Moreover, multi-electron effects that enhance laboratory reactions of the CNO
cycle and other advanced nuclear burning stages, are also studied by means of
the Thomas-Fermi model, deriving analytical formulae that establish a lower and
upper limit for the associated screening energy. The results of the second
model, which show a very satisfactory compatibility with the adiabatic
approximation ones, are expected to be particularly useful in future
experiments for a more accurate determination of the CNO astrophysical factors.Comment: 14 RevTex pages + 2 ps (revised) figures. Phys.Rev.C (in production
Nuclear masses set bounds on quantum chaos
It has been suggested that chaotic motion inside the nucleus may
significantly limit the accuracy with which nuclear masses can be calculated.
Using a power spectrum analysis we show that the inclusion of additional
physical contributions in mass calculations, through many-body interactions or
local information, removes the chaotic signal in the discrepancies between
calculated and measured masses. Furthermore, a systematic application of global
mass formulas and of a set of relationships among neighboring nuclei to more
than 2000 nuclear masses allows to set an unambiguous upper bound for the
average errors in calculated masses which turn out to be almost an order of
magnitude smaller than estimated chaotic components.Comment: 4 pages, Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
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