Measurement of the 24Mg(p,t) 22Mg reaction and implications for the 21Na(p, γ) 22Mg stellar reaction rate

Levels in 22Mg between 4 and 7 MeV excitation energy have been populated in a high-resolution study of the 24Mg(p,t) 22Mg reaction. Two new states have been observed at energies Ex = 5090 and 6323 keV, while two states were observed at 5962 and 6046 keV. The precision in measured excitation energies for several other 22Mg levels has been improved substantially. In addition, a new state at 8141 keV was observed in 23Mg. Using spin and parity restrictions from the present and previous work, we discuss T = 1 analog state assignments of A = 22 nuclei below 7 MeV excitation energy. The implications for the rate of the stellar reaction 21Na(p, γ) 22Mg which takes part in hydrogen burning during nova outbursts are presented.