Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics VI (NPA6) , 19–24 May 2013, Lisbon, Portugal

A study of the 20Ne(d,p)21Ne transfer reaction was performed using the Quadrupole Dipole Dipole Dipole (Q3D) magnetic spectrograph in Garching, Germany. The experiment probed excitation energies in 21Ne ranging from 6.9 MeV to 8.5 MeV. The aim was to investigate the spectroscopic information of 21Ne within the Gamow window of core helium burning in massive stars. Further information in this region will help reduce the uncertainties on the extrapolation down to Gamow window cross sections of the 17 O(alfa,gamma)21Ne reaction. In low metallicity stars, this reaction has a direct impact on s-process abundances by determining the fate of 16O as either a neutron poison or a neutron absorber. The experiment used a 22-MeV deuteron beam, with intensities varying from 0.5-1 miA, and an implanted target of 20Ne of 7 microg/cm2 in 40 microg/cm2 carbon foils. Sixteen 21Ne peaks have been identified in the Ex = 6.9-8.5 MeV range, of which only thirteen peaks correspond to known states. Only the previously-known Ex = 7.960 MeV state was observed within the Gamow window.

Peer Reviewed