Low-energy ${}^{23}$Al $\beta$-delayed proton decay and ${}^{22}$Na destruction in novae

Abstract

The radionuclide ${}^{22}$Na is a target of $\gamma$-ray astronomy searches, predicted to be produced during thermonuclear runaways driving classical novae. The ${}^{22}$Na(p,$\gamma$)${}^{23}$Mg reaction is the main destruction channel of ${}^{22}$Na during a nova, hence, its rate is needed to accurately predict the ${}^{22}$Na yield. However, experimental determinations of the resonance strengths have led to inconsistent results. In this work, we report a measurement of the branching ratios of the ${}^{23}$Al $\beta$-delayed protons, as a probe of the key 204--keV (center-of-mass) ${}^{22}$Na(p,$\gamma$)${}^{23}$Mg resonance strength. We report a factor of 5 lower branching ratio compared to the most recent literature value. The variation in ${}^{22}$Na yield due to nuclear data inconsistencies was assessed using a series of hydrodynamic nova outburst simulations and has increased to a factor of 3.8, corresponding to a factor of $\sim$2 uncertainty in the maximum detectability distance. This is the first reported scientific measurement using the Gaseous Detector with Germanium Tagging (GADGET) system.

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Horizons: Nuclear Astrophysics in the 2020s and Beyond
• Constraining the ${}^{30}$P($p,\gamma {)}^{31}$S reaction rate in ONe novae via the weak, low-energy, $\beta$-delayed proton decay of ${}^{31}$Cl
• Search for ${}^{22}$Na in novae supported by a novel method for measuring femtosecond nuclear lifetimes
• ${}^{25}$Si ${\beta }^{+}$-decay spectroscopy
• Time Projection Chamber for GADGET II
• Impact of Nuclear Deformation of Parent and Daughter Nuclei on One Proton Radioactivity Lifetimes
• Understanding the cosmic abundance of ${}^{22}$Na: lifetime measurements in ${}^{23}$Mg