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The p-nuclei are the few stable nuclei heavier than iron on the neutron-deficient side of the valley of stability that cannot be produced through astrophysical neutron-capture reactions. The limited experimental data on reactions through which the p-nuclei might be produced leaves the origin of their production largely unknown. This work presents the first cross section measurements of the 76Se( α , γ )80Kr reaction. The rate of the time reversed reaction, 80Kr( γ , α )76Se, is one of the most uncertain of possible reactions which can occur at the 80Kr branching point on the γ-process photo-disintegration pathway. The reaction flow through 80Kr will directly affect the final abundance of the p-nuclide 78Kr. Experimental cross sections at two astrophysically relevant energies are reported and compared to cross sections calculated using Hauser-Feshbach codes talys , non-smoker , and smaragd . The success of these first ( α , γ ) cross section measurements performed in inverse kinematics in the energy region of the γ-process opens the door for future studies of reactions on radioactive γ-process nuclides.

During the slow neutron capture process in massive stars, reactions on light elements can both produce and absorb neutrons thereby influencing the final heavy element abundances. At low metallicities, the high neutron capture rate of 16-O can inhibit s-process nucleosynthesis unless the neutrons are recycled via the 17O(a,n)20Ne reaction. The efficiency of this neutron recycling is determined by competition between the 17O(a,n)20Ne and 17O(a,g)21Ne reactions. While some experimental data are available on the former reaction, no data exist for the radiative capture channel at the relevant astrophysical energies. The 17O(a,g)21Ne reaction has been studied directly using the DRAGON recoil separator at the TRIUMF Laboratory. The reaction cross section has been determined at energies between 0.6 and 1.6 MeV Ecm, reaching into the Gamow window for core helium burning for the first time. Resonance strengths for resonances at 0.63, 0.721, 0.81 and 1.122 MeV Ecm have been extracted. The experimentally based reaction rate calculated represents a lower limit, but suggests that significant s-process nucleosynthesis occurs in low metallicity massive stars., 7 pages, 5 figures

Background: Nucleosynthesis of mid-mass elements is thought to occur under hot and explosive astrophysical conditions. Radiative α capture on S34 has been shown to impact nucleosynthesis in several such conditions, including core and shell oxygen burning, explosive oxygen burning, and type Ia supernovae. Purpose: Broad uncertainties exist in the literature for the strengths of three resonances within the astrophysically relevant energy range (ECM=1.94-3.42MeV at T=2.2GK). Further, there are several states in Ar38 within this energy range which have not been previously measured. This work aimed to remeasure the resonance strengths of states for which broad uncertainty existed as well as to measure the resonance strengths and energies of previously unmeasured states. Methods: Resonance strengths and energies of eight narrow resonances (five of which had not been previously studied) were measured in inverse kinematics with the DRAGON facility at TRIUMF by impinging an isotopically pure beam of S34 ions on a windowless He4 gas target. Prompt γ emissions of de-exciting Ar38 recoils were detected in an array of bismuth germanate scintillators in coincidence with recoil nuclei, which were separated from unreacted beam ions by an electromagnetic mass separator and detected by a time-of-flight system and a multianode ionization chamber. Results: The present measurements agree with previous results. Broad uncertainty in the resonance strength of the ECM=2709keV resonance persists. Resonance strengths and energies were determined for five low-energy resonances which had not been studied previously, and their strengths were determined to be significantly weaker than those of previously measured resonances. Conclusions: The five previously unmeasured resonances were found not to contribute significantly to the total thermonuclear reaction rate. A median total thermonuclear reaction rate calculated using data from the present work along with existing literature values using the STARLIB rate calculator agrees with the NON-SMOKER statistical model calculation as well as the REACLIB and STARLIB library rates at explosive and nonexplosive oxygen-burning temperatures (T=3-4GK and T=1.5-2.7GK, respectively).

Background: Classical novae are cataclysmic nuclear explosions occurring when a white dwarf in a binary system accretes hydrogen-rich material from its companion star. Novae are partially responsible for the galactic synthesis of a variety of nuclides up to the calcium ( A ∼ 40 ) region of the nuclear chart. Although the structure and dynamics of novae are thought to be relatively well understood, the predicted abundances of elements near the nucleosynthesis endpoint, in particular Ar and Ca, appear to sometimes be in disagreement with astronomical observations of the spectra of nova ejecta. Purpose: One possible source of the discrepancies between model predictions and astronomical observations is nuclear reaction data. Most reaction rates near the nova endpoint are estimated only from statistical model calculations, which carry large uncertainties. For certain key reactions, these rate uncertainties translate into large uncertainties in nucleosynthesis predictions. In particular, the 38 K ( p , γ ) 39 Ca reaction has been identified as having a significant influence on Ar, K, and Ca production. In order to constrain the rate of this reaction, we have performed a direct measurement of the strengths of three candidate l = 0 resonances within the Gamow window for nova burning, at 386 ± 10 keV, 515 ± 10 keV, and 689 ± 10 keV. Method: The experiment was performed in inverse kinematics using a beam of unstable 38 K impinged on a windowless hydrogen gas target. The 39 Ca recoils and prompt γ rays from 38 K ( p , γ ) 39 Ca reactions were detected in coincidence using a recoil mass separator and a bismuth-germanate scintillator array, respectively. Results: For the 689 keV resonance, we observed a clear recoil- γ coincidence signal and extracted resonance strength and energy values of 120 + 50 − 30 ( stat . ) + 20 − 60 ( sys . ) meV and 679 + 2 − 1 ( stat . ) ± 1 ( sys . ) keV , respectively. We also performed a singles analysis of the recoil data alone, extracting a resonance strength of 120 ± 20 ( stat . ) ± 15 ( sys . ) meV, consistent with the coincidence result. For the 386 keV and 515 keV resonances, we extract 90 % confidence level upper limits of 2.54 meV and 18.4 meV, respectively. Conclusions: We have established a new recommended 38 K ( p , γ ) 39 Ca rate based on experimental information, which reduces overall uncertainties near the peak temperatures of nova burning by a factor of ∼ 250 . Using the rate obtained in this work in model calculations of the hottest oxygen-neon novae reduces overall uncertainties on Ar, K, and Ca synthesis to factors of 15 or less in all cases.

The underlying physics triggering core collapse supernovae is not fully understood but observations of material ejected during such events helps to solve this puzzle. In particular, several satellite based γ-ray observations of the isotope 44Ti have been reported recently. Conveniently, the amount of this isotope in stellar ejecta is thought to depend critically on the explosion mechanism. The most influential reaction to the amount of 44Ti in supernovae is Ti44(α,p)V47. Here we report on a direct study of this reaction conducted at the REX-ISOLDE facility, CERN. The experiment was performed with a 44Ti beam at Elab = 2.16MeV/u, corresponding to an energy distribution, for reacting α-particles, centred on Ecm = 4.15 with a 1σ width of 0.23 MeV. This is, for the first time, well within the Gamow window for core collapse supernovae. The material from which the 44Ti beam was extracted originates from highly irradiated components of the SINQ spallation neutron source of the Paul Scherrer Institute. No yield above background was observed, enabling an upper limit for the rate of this reaction to be determined. This result is below expectation, suggesting that the Ti44(α,p)V47 reaction proceeds more slowly than previously thought. Implications for astrophysical events, and remnant age, are discussed. © 2014 The Authors.

We have performed the first direct measurement of the 38Kðp; γÞ39Ca reaction using a beam of radioactive 38K. A proposed l ¼ 0 resonance in the 38K þ p system has been identified at 679(2) keV with an associated strength of 120 þ50 −30 meV. Upper limits of 1.16 (3.5) and 8.6 (26) meV at the 68% (95%) confidence level were also established for two further expected l ¼ 0 resonances at 386 and 515 keV, respectively. The present results have reduced uncertainties in the 38Kðp; γÞ39Ca reaction rate at temperatures of 0.4 GK by more than 2 orders of magnitude and indicate that Ar and Ca may be ejected in observable quantities by oxygen-neon novae. However, based on the newly evaluated rate, the 38Kðp; γÞ39Ca path is unlikely to be responsible for the production of Ar and Ca in significantly enhanced quantities relative to solar abundances.

The DRAGON facility for the study of radiative capture reactions has an extended gas target, surrounded by an array of BGO detectors. The distribution of detected gamma rays amongst the segmented array permits an estimate of the reaction position and consequently of the resonance energy. We report a study of the technique, using the 24 Mg(p, γ ) 25 Al reaction. Energy determination to better than 0.5% has been demonstrated.

26Al is an important radioisotope in astrophysics that provides evidence of ongoing nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy. The 23Na(α, p)26Mg reaction has been identified by a sensitivity study as being one of the most important reactions for the production of 26Al in the convective C/Ne burning shell of massive stars. Owing to large uncertainties in previous experimental data, model calculations are used for the reaction rate of 23Na(α, p)26Mg in this sensitivity study. Current experimental data suggest a reaction rate a factor of ∼40 higher than model calculations. However, a new measurement of this reaction cross section has been made in inverse kinematics in the energy range E(c.m.)=1.28-3.15 MeV at TRIUMF, and found to be in reasonable agreement with the model calculation. A new reaction rate is calculated and tight constraints on the uncertainty in the production of 26Al, due to this reaction, are determined.

We report on the mass measurements of several neutron-rich $\mathrm{Rb}$ and $\mathrm{Sr}$ isotopes in the $A \approx 100$ region with the TITAN Penning-trap mass spectrometer. Using highly charged ions in the charge state $q=10+$, the masses of $^{98,99}\mathrm{Rb}$ and $^{98-100}\mathrm{Sr}$ have been determined with a precision of $6 - 12\ \mathrm{keV}$, making their uncertainty negligible for r-process nucleosynthesis network calculations. The mass of $^{101}\mathrm{Sr}$ has been determined directly for the first time with a precision eight times higher than the previous indirect measurement and a deviation of $3\sigma$ when compared to the Atomic Mass Evaluation. We also confirm the mass of $^{100}\mathrm{Rb}$ from a previous measurement. Furthermore, our data indicates the existance of a low-lying isomer with $80\ \mathrm{keV}$ excitation energy in $^{98}\mathrm{Rb}$. We show that our updated mass values lead to minor changes in the r-process by calculating fractional abundances in the $A\approx 100$ region of the nuclear chart., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

The ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction is important for constraining predictions of certain isotopic abundances in oxygen-neon novae. Models currently predict as much as 150 times the solar abundance of ${}^{33}$S in oxygen-neon nova ejecta. This overproduction factor may vary by orders of magnitude due to uncertainties in the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction rate at nova peak temperatures. Depending on this rate, ${}^{33}$S could potentially be used as a diagnostic tool for classifying certain types of presolar grains. Better knowledge of the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl rate would also aid in interpreting nova observations over the S-Ca mass region and contribute to the firm establishment of the maximum endpoint of nova nucleosynthesis. Additionally, the total S elemental abundance which is affected by this reaction has been proposed as a thermometer to study the peak temperatures of novae. Previously, the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl reaction rate had only been studied directly down to resonance energies of 432 keV. However, for nova peak temperatures of $0.2--0.4$ GK there are seven known states in ${}^{34}$Cl both below the 432-keV resonance and within the Gamow window that could play a dominant role. Direct measurements of the resonance strengths of these states were performed using the DRAGON (Detector of Recoils And Gammas of Nuclear reactions) recoil separator at TRIUMF. Additionally two new states within this energy region are reported. Several hydrodynamic simulations have been performed, using all available experimental information for the ${}^{33}$S($p,\ensuremath{\gamma}$)${}^{34}$Cl rate, to explore the impact of the remaining uncertainty in this rate on nucleosynthesis in nova explosions. These calculations give a range of $\ensuremath{\approx}$20--150 for the expected ${}^{33}$S overproduction factor, and a range of $\ensuremath{\approx}$100--450 for the ${}^{32}$S/${}^{33}$S ratio expected in ONe novae.

Exploration of the physics involved in the production of cosmogenic radionuclides requires experiments using the same rare, radioactive nuclei in sufficient quantities. For this work, such exotic radionuclides have been extracted from previously proton-irradiated stainless steel samples using wet chemistry separation techniques. The irradiated construction material has arisen from an extended material research programme at the Paul Scherrer Institute, called STIP (SINQ Target Irradiation Program), where several thousand samples of different materials were irradiated with protons and neutrons of energies up to 570 MeV. In total, 8 × 1017 atoms of 44Ti, ∼1016 atoms of 26Al and ∼1019 atoms of 53Mn are available from selected samples. These materials may now be used to produce targets or radioactive beams for nuclear reaction studies with protons, neutrons and α-particles. The work is part of the ERAWAST initiative (Exotic Radionuclides from Accelerator Waste for Science and Technology), aimed at facilitating new collaborations between the isotope producers and users from different scientific fields including nuclear astrophysics.