First Accurate Normalization of the β -delayed α Decay of N 16 and Implications for the C 12 (α,γ) O 16 Astrophysical Reaction Rate

O. S. Kirsebom, O. Tengblad, R. Lica, M. Munch, K. Riisager, H. O. U. Fynbo, M. J. G. Borge, M. Madurga, I. Marroquin, A. N. Andreyev, T. A. Berry, E. R. Christensen, P. Díaz Fernández, D. T. Doherty, P. Van Duppen, L. M. Fraile, M. C. Gallardo, P. T. Greenlees, L. J. Harkness-Brennan, N. HubbardM. Huyse, J. H. Jensen, H. Johansson, B. Jonson, D. S. Judson, J. Konki, I. Lazarus, M. V. Lund, N. Marginean, R. Marginean, A. Perea, C. Mihai, A. Negret, R. D. Page, V. Pucknell, P. Rahkila, O. Sorlin, C. Sotty, J. A. Swartz, H. B. Sørensen, H. Törnqvist, V. Vedia, N. Warr, H. De Witte

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Abstract

The C12(α,γ)O16 reaction plays a central role in astrophysics, but its cross section at energies relevant for astrophysical applications is only poorly constrained by laboratory data. The reduced α width, γ11, of the bound 1- level in O16 is particularly important to determine the cross section. The magnitude of γ11 is determined via sub-Coulomb α-transfer reactions or the β-delayed α decay of N16, but the latter approach is presently hampered by the lack of sufficiently precise data on the β-decay branching ratios. Here we report improved branching ratios for the bound 1- level [bβ,11=(5.02±0.10)×10-2] and for β-delayed α emission [bβα=(1.59±0.06)×10-5]. Our value for bβα is 33% larger than previously held, leading to a substantial increase in γ11. Our revised value for γ11 is in good agreement with the value obtained in α-transfer studies and the weighted average of the two gives a robust and precise determination of γ11, which provides significantly improved constraints on the C12(α,γ) cross section in the energy range relevant to hydrostatic He burning.

Original languageEnglish
Article number142701
Pages (from-to)142701
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume121
Issue number14
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Oct 2018

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