Study of the ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na reaction at LUNA

¹ Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 8, 35131, Padova (Italy)
² INFN Section of Padova, via Marzolo 8, 35131, Padova (Italy)
³ INFN Section of Genova, Via Dodecaneso, 33, 16146 Genova (Italy)

^* e-mail: antonio.caciolli@unipd.it
^** e-mail: sandra.zavatarelli@ge.infn.it

Published online: 24 February 2022

Abstract

The ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na is the first reaction of the NeNa cycle and having the slowest reaction rate, it controls the speed at which the entire cycle proceeds. This reaction is important in different stellar scenarios such as red giants stars (during H shell-burning), asymptotic giant branch stars, novae, and massive stars. Existing uncertainties on the ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na are now the ones that severely affect the estimated elements production in the NeNa cycle. In particular, such uncertainties affect the amount of produced ²²Na, a stellar γ-ray signature, and ²²Ne, an important neutron source in the s-process, via the ²²Ne(α,n)²⁵Mg. Here, we propose to study the resonance at E_R = 366 keV and to measure the ²⁰Ne(p,γ)²¹Na reaction cross section at proton energies below 400 keV, in particular the contribution from the sub-threshold state, in order to better constrain the overall astrophysical rate of this important reaction. In this contribution, the experimental setup will be described and the expected results discussed.