Reevaluation of the ${}^{14}$O($\alpha$,p)${}^{17}$F Resonant Reaction Rate

Abstract

The reaction rates of the key stellar reaction of ${}^{14}$O($\alpha$,p)${}^{17}$F have been reevaluated. It is thought that the previous 1${}^{-}$ assignment for the 6.15-MeV state is incorrect by a careful reanalysis of the previous experimental data [J. Gómez del Campo {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 86}, 43 (2001)]. Most probably, the 6.286-MeV state is the key 1${}^{-}$ state and the 6.15-MeV state is a 2${}^{-}$ one, and hence the resonance at $E_x$=6.286 MeV ($J^{\pi }$=1${}^{-}$) actually dominates the reaction rates in the temperature region of astrophysical interests. The newly calculated reaction rates for the ${}^{14}$O($\alpha$,p)${}^{17}$F reaction are quite different from the previous ones, for instance, it's only about 1/6 of the previous value around 0.4 GK, while it's about 2.4 times larger than the previous value around 2 GK. The astrophysical implications have been briefly discussed based on the present conclusions.

7 pages, 3 figures and 1 table