Constraining the rp-process by measuring ²³Al(d,n)²⁴Si with GRETINA and LENDA at NSCL

¹ Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
² National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, East Lansing, MI, USA
³ Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
⁴ Central Michigan University, Mounts Pleasant, MI, USA
⁵ University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Great Britain
⁶ JINA Center for the Evolution of the Elements, East Lansing, MI, USA
⁷ Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

Published online: 30 December 2017

Abstract

The ²³Al(p, γ)²⁴Si stellar reaction rate has a significant impact on the light-curve emitted in X-ray bursts. Theoretical calculations show that the reaction rate is mainly determined by the properties of direct capture as well as low-lying 2⁺ states and a possible 4⁺ state in ²⁴Si. Currently, there is little experimental information on the properties of these states.

In this proceeding we will present a new experimental study to investigate this reaction, using the surrogate reaction ²³Al(d,n) at 47 AMeV at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL). We will discuss our new experimental setup which allows us to use full kinematics employing the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking In-beam Nuclear Array (GRETINA) to detect the γ-rays following the de-excitation of excited states of the reaction products and the Low Energy Neutron Detector Array (LENDA) to detect the recoiling neutrons. The S800 was used for identification of the ²⁴Si recoils. As a proof of principle to show the feasibility of this concept the Q-value spectrum of ²²Mg(d,n)²³Al is reconstructed.