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Register a new userDecay properties of $^{22}mathrm{Ne} + alpha$ resonances and their impact on $s$-process nucleosynthesis
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The astrophysical $s$-process is one of the two main processes forming elements heavier than iron. A key outstanding uncertainty surrounding $s$-process nucleosynthesis is the neutron flux generated by the ${}^{22}mathrm{Ne}(alpha, n){}^{25}mathrm{Mg}$ reaction during the He-core and C-shell burning phases of massive stars. This reaction, as well as the competing ${}^{22}mathrm{Ne}(alpha, gamma){}^{26}mathrm{Mg}$ reaction, is not well constrained in the important temperature regime from ${sim} 0.2$--$0.4$~GK, owing to uncertainties in the nuclear properties of resonances lying within the Gamow window. To address these uncertainties, we have performed a new measurement of the ${}^{22}mathrm{Ne}({}^{6}mathrm{Li}, d){}^{26}mathrm{Mg}$ reaction in inverse kinematics, detecting the outgoing deuterons and ${}^{25,26}mathrm{Mg}$ recoils in coincidence. We have established a new $n / gamma$ decay branching ratio of $1.14(26)$ for the key $E_x = 11.32$ MeV resonance in $^{26}mathrm{Mg}$, which results in a new $(alpha, n)$ strength for this resonance of $42(11)~mu$eV when combined with the well-established $(alpha, gamma)$ strength of this resonance. We have also determined new upper limits on the $alpha$ partial widths of neutron-unbound resonances at $E_x = 11.112,$ $11.163$, $11.169$, and $11.171$ MeV. Monte-Carlo calculations of the stellar ${}^{22}mathrm{Ne}(alpha, n){}^{25}mathrm{Mg}$ and ${}^{22}mathrm{Ne}(alpha, gamma){}^{26}mathrm{Mg}$ rates, which incorporate these results, indicate that both rates are substantially lower than previously thought in the temperature range from ${sim} 0.2$--$0.4$~GK.
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The competing $^{22}$Ne($alpha,gamma$)$^{26}$Mg and $^{22}$Ne($alpha,n$)$^{25}$Mg reactions control the production of neutrons for the weak $s$-process in massive and AGB stars. In both systems, the ratio between the corresponding reaction rates strongly impacts the total neutron budget and strongly influences the final nucleosynthesis. The $^{22}$Ne($alpha,gamma$)$^{26}$Mg and $^{22}$Ne($alpha,n$)$^{25}$Mg reaction rates was re-evaluated by using newly available information on $^{26}$Mg given by various recent experimental studies. Evaluations of The evaluated $^{22}$Ne($alpha,gamma$)$^{26}$Mg reaction rate remains substantially similar to that of Longland {it et al.} but, including recent results from Texas A&M, the $^{22}$Ne($alpha,n$)$^{25}$Mg reaction rate is lower at a range of astrophysically important temperatures. Stellar models computed with NEWTON and MESA predict decreased production of the weak branch $s$-process due to the decreased efficiency of $^{22}$Ne as a neutron source. Using the new reaction rates in the MESA model results in $^{96}$Zr/$^{94}$Zr and $^{135}$Ba/$^{136}$Ba ratios in much better agreement with the measured ratios from presolar SiC grains.
The $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,$gamma$)$^{26}$Mg and $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,n)$^{25}$Mg reactions play an important role in astrophysics because they have significant influence on the neutron flux during the weak branch of the s-process. We constrain the astrophysical rates for these reactions by measuring partial $alpha$-widths of resonances in $^{26}$Mg located in the Gamow window for the $^{22}$Ne+$alpha$ capture. These resonances were populated using $^{22}$Ne($^6$Li,d)$^{26}$Mg and $^{22}$Ne($^7$Li,t)$^{26}$Mg reactions at energies near the Coulomb barrier. At these low energies $alpha$-transfer reactions favor population of low spin states and the extracted partial $alpha$-widths for the observed resonances exhibit only minor dependence on the model parameters. The astrophysical rates for both the $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,$gamma$)$^{26}$Mg and the $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,n)$^{25}$Mg reactions are shown to be significantly different than the previously suggested values.
We studied $alpha$ cluster states in $^{26}$Mg via the $^{22}$Ne($^{6}$Li,$dgamma$)$^{26}$Mg reaction in inverse kinematics at an energy of $7$ MeV/nucleon. States between $E_x$ = 4 - 12 MeV in $^{26}$Mg were populated and relative $alpha$ spectroscopic factors were determined. Some of these states correspond to resonances in the Gamow window of the $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,n)$^{25}$Mg reaction, which is one of the main neutron sources in the astrophysical $s$-process. We show that $alpha$-cluster strength of the states analyzed in this work have critical impact on s-process abundances. Using our new $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,n)$^{25}$Mg and $^{22}$Ne($alpha$,$gamma$)$^{26}$Mg reaction rates, we performed new s-process calculations for massive stars and Asymptotic Giant Branch stars and compared the resulting yields with the yields obtained using other $^{22}$Ne+$alpha$ rates from the literature. We observe an impact on the s-process abundances up to a factor of three for intermediate-mass AGB stars and up to a factor of ten for massive stars. Additionally, states in $^{25}$Mg at $E_x$ $<$ 5 MeV are identified via the $^{22}$Ne($^{6}$Li,$t$)$^{25}$Mg reaction for the first time. We present the ($^6$Li, $t$) spectroscopic factors of these states and note similarities to the $(d,p$) reaction in terms of reaction selectivity.
The $^{22}$Ne(p,$gamma$)$^{23}$Na reaction is the most uncertain process in the neon-sodium cycle of hydrogen burning. At temperatures relevant for nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch stars and classical novae, its uncertainty is mainly due to a large number of predicted but hitherto unobserved resonances at low energy. Purpose: A new direct study of low energy $^{22}$Ne(p,$gamma$)$^{23}$Na resonances has been performed at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics (LUNA), in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. Method: The proton capture on $^{22}$Ne was investigated in direct kinematics, delivering an intense proton beam to a $^{22}$Ne gas target. $gamma$ rays were detected with two high-purity germanium detectors enclosed in a copper and lead shielding suppressing environmental radioactivity. Results: Three resonances at 156.2 keV ($omegagamma$ = (1.48,$pm$,0.10),$cdot$,10$^{-7}$ eV), 189.5 keV ($omegagamma$ = (1.87,$pm$,0.06),$cdot$,10$^{-6}$ eV) and 259.7 keV ($omegagamma$ = (6.89,$pm$,0.16),$cdot$,10$^{-6}$ eV) proton beam energy, respectively, have been observed for the first time. For the levels at 8943.5, 8975.3, and 9042.4 keV excitation energy corresponding to the new resonances, the $gamma$-decay branching ratios have been precisely measured. Three additional, tentative resonances at 71, 105 and 215 keV proton beam energy, respectively, were not observed here. For the strengths of these resonances, experimental upper limits have been derived that are significantly more stringent than the upper limits reported in the literature. Conclusions: Based on the present experimental data and also previous literature data, an updated thermonuclear reaction rate is provided in tabular and parametric form. The new reaction rate is significantly higher than previous evaluations at temperatures of 0.08-0.3 GK.
Lighter heavy elements beyond iron and up to around silver can form in neutrino-driven ejecta in core-collapse supernovae and neutron star mergers. Slightly neutron-rich conditions favour a weak r-process that follows a path close to stability. Therefore, the beta decays are slow compared to the expansion time scales, and ($alpha$,n) reactions become critical to move matter towards heavier nuclei. The rates of these reactions are calculated with the statistical model and their main uncertainty, at energies relevant for the weak r-process, is the $alpha$+nucleus optical potential. There are several sets of parameters to calculate the $alpha$+nucleus optical potential leading to large deviations for the reaction rates, exceeding even one order of magnitude. Recently the $^{96}$Zr($alpha$,n)$^{99}$Mo reaction has been identified as a key reaction that impacts the production of elements from Ru to Cd. Here, we present the first cross section measurement of this reaction at energies (6.22 MeV $leq$ E$_mathrm{c.m.}$ $leq$ 12.47 MeV) relevant for the weak r-process. The new data provide a stringent test of various model predictions which is necessary to improve the precision of the weak r-process network calculations. The strongly reduced reaction rate uncertainty leads to very well-constrained nucleosynthesis yields for $Z = 44 - 48$ isotopes under different neutrino-driven wind conditions.
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