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Direct Measurement of the Astrophysical ^{19}F(p,αγ)^{16}O Reaction in the Deepest Operational Underground Laboratory

Authors :
L Y, Zhang
J, Su
J J, He
M, Wiescher
R J, deBoer
D, Kahl
Y J, Chen
X Y, Li
J G, Wang
L, Zhang
F Q, Cao
H, Zhang
Z C, Zhang
T Y, Jiao
Y D, Sheng
L H, Wang
L Y, Song
X Z, Jiang
Z M, Li
E T, Li
S, Wang
G, Lian
Z H, Li
X D, Tang
H W, Zhao
L T, Sun
Q, Wu
J Q, Li
B Q, Cui
L H, Chen
R G, Ma
B, Guo
S W, Xu
J Y, Li
N C, Qi
W L, Sun
X Y, Guo
P, Zhang
Y H, Chen
Y, Zhou
J F, Zhou
J R, He
C S, Shang
M C, Li
X H, Zhou
Y H, Zhang
F S, Zhang
Z G, Hu
H S, Xu
J P, Chen
W P, Liu
Source :
Physical review letters. 127(15)
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

Fluorine is one of the most interesting elements in nuclear astrophysics, where the ^{19}F(p,α)^{16}O reaction is of crucial importance for Galactic ^{19}F abundances and CNO cycle loss in first generation Population III stars. As a day-one campaign at the Jinping Underground Nuclear Astrophysics experimental facility, we report direct measurements of the essential ^{19}F(p,αγ)^{16}O reaction channel. The γ-ray yields were measured over E_{c.m.}=72.4-344 keV, covering the Gamow window; our energy of 72.4 keV is unprecedentedly low, reported here for the first time. The experiment was performed under the extremely low cosmic-ray-induced background environment of the China JinPing Underground Laboratory, one of the deepest underground laboratories in the world. The present low-energy S factors deviate significantly from previous theoretical predictions, and the uncertainties are significantly reduced. The thermonuclear ^{19}F(p,αγ)^{16}O reaction rate has been determined directly at the relevant astrophysical energies.

Details

ISSN :
10797114
Volume :
127
Issue :
15
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Physical review letters
Accession number :
edsair.pmid..........c00ea88ea8ebb8aa8fc218d47c0179c4