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First direct measurement of $^{59}$Cu(p,$\alpha$)$^{56}$Ni: A step towards constraining the Ni-Cu cycle in the Cosmos
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Reactions on the proton-rich nuclides drive the nucleosynthesis in Core-Collapse Supernovae (CCSNe) and in X-ray bursts (XRBs). CCSNe eject the nucleosynthesis products to the interstellar medium and hence are a potential inventory of p-nuclei, whereas in XRBs nucleosynthesis powers the light curves. In both astrophysical sites the Ni-Cu cycle, which features a competition between $^{59}$Cu(p,$\alpha$)$^{56}$Ni and $^{59}$Cu(p,$\gamma$)$^{60}$Zn, could potentially halt the production of heavier elements. Here, we report the first direct measurement of $^{59}$Cu(p,$\alpha$)$^{56}$Ni using a re-accelerated $^{59}$Cu beam and cryogenic solid hydrogen target. Our results show that the reaction proceeds predominantly to the ground state of $^{56}$Ni and the experimental rate has been found to be lower than Hauser-Feshbach-based statistical predictions. New results hint that the $\nu p$-process could operate at higher temperatures than previously inferred and therefore remains a viable site for synthesizing the heavier elements.
- Subjects :
- Nuclear Experiment
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- arXiv
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsarx.2107.05606
- Document Type :
- Working Paper
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.104.L042801