Improved direct measurement of low-energy resonances in the $^{21}$Ne(p,$γ$)$^{22}$Na reaction
nucl-ex
/ Authors
R. S. Sidhu, F. Casaburo, E. Masha, M. Aliotta, C. Ananna, L. Barbieri, F. Barile, C. Baron, D. Bemmerer, A. Best
and 50 more authors
R. Biassisi, A. Boeltzig, R. Bonnel, C. Broggini, C. G. Bruno, A. Caciolli, M. Campostrini, F. Cavanna, T. Chillery, G. F. Ciani, P. Colombetti, A. Compagnucci, P. Corvisiero, L. Csedreki, T. Davinson, R. Depalo, A. Di Leva, A. D'Ottavi, Z. Elekes, F. Ferraro, A. Formicola, Zs. Fulop, G. Gervino, R. Gesue
/ Abstract
In the nova temperature range, 0.1 GK $< T <$ 0.4 GK, several low-energy resonances dominate the $^{21}$Ne(p,$γ$)$^{22}$Na reaction rate, which is currently affected by large uncertainties. We present a high-precision study of the resonances at $E^{\rm{lab}}_{\rm{r}}$ = 127.3, 271.4, 272.3, 291.5, and 352.6 keV, measured directly at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics in Italy. The strengths of the 127.3, 271.4, and 291.5 keV resonances are consistent with previous measurements within 1$σ$. However, for the 272.3 keV and 352.6 keV resonances, we report strength values of (129.9 $\pm$ 5.8) meV and (14.9 $\pm$ 0.8) meV, respectively, more than a factor of 1.5 higher than literature values. In addition, we report on new branching ratios for the 127.3, 272.3, and 352.6 keV resonances, leading to updated decay schemes. Finally, we present a revised thermonuclear reaction rate and investigate its impact on the NeNa nucleosynthesis.