Concurrent application of ANC and THM to assess the ${}^{13}\mathrm{C}(\alpha ,n{)}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ absolute cross section at astrophysical energies and possible consequences for neutron production in low-mass AGB stars

Abstract

The ${}^{13}\mathrm{C}(\alpha ,n{)}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ reaction is considered to be the main neutron source responsible for the production of heavy nuclides (from $\mathrm{Sr}$ to $\mathrm{Bi}$) through slow $n$-capture nucleosynthesis ($s$-process) at low temperatures during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase of low mass stars ($\lesssim 3-4{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$, or LMSs). In recent years, several direct and indirect measurements have been carried out to determine the cross section at the energies of astrophysical interest (around $190\pm 40\mathrm{keV}$). However, they yield inconsistent results causing a highly uncertain reaction rate and affecting the neutron release in LMSs. In this work we have combined two indirect approaches, the asymptotic normalization coefficient (or ANC) and the Trojan Horse Method (THM), to unambiguously determine the absolute value of the ${}^{13}\mathrm{C}(\alpha ,n{)}^{16}\mathrm{O}$ astrophysical factor. Therefore, we have determined a very accurate reaction rate to be introduced into astrophysical models of $s$-process nucleosynthesis in LMSs. Calculations using such recommended rate have shown limited variations in the production of those neutron-rich nuclei (with $86\le A\le 209$) receiving contribution only by slow neutron captures.

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Cited by in corpus (13)

• LUNA: Status and Prospects
• Direct measurement of the 13C(α,n)16O cross section into the s-process Gamow peak
• The importance of the 13C(alpha,n)16O reaction in Asymptotic Giant Branch stars
• The Gaia-ESO Survey: the origin and evolution of s-process elements
• Horizons: Nuclear Astrophysics in the 2020s and Beyond
• Deep underground laboratory measurement of ${}^{13}$C($\alpha$,$n$)${}^{16}$O in the Gamow windows of the $s$- and $i$-processes
• Magnetic-buoyancy-induced mixing in AGB Stars: fluorine nucleosynthesis at different metallicities
• The study of key reactions shaping the post main-sequence evolution of massive stars in underground facilities
• Solar fusion III: New data and theory for hydrogen-burning stars
• Subthreshold resonances and resonances in the $R$-matrix method for binary reactions and in the Trojan Horse method
• Underground Measurements of Nuclear Reaction Cross-Sections Relevant to AGB Stars
• Trojan horse method as surrogate indirect approach to study resonant reactions in nuclear astrophysics
• Status and future directions for direct cross-section measurements of the 13C(a,n)16O reaction for astrophysics