A technique for the study of (p,n) reactions with unstable isotopes at energies relevant to astrophysics

Abstract

We have developed and tested an experimental technique for the measurement of low-energy (p,n) reactions in inverse kinematics relevant to nuclear astrophysics. The proposed setup is located at the ReA3 facility at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. In the current approach, we operate the beam-transport line in ReA3 as a recoil separator while tagging the outgoing neutrons from the (p,n) reactions with the low-energy neutron detector array (LENDA). The developed technique was verified by using the ${}^{40}$Ar(p,n)${}^{40}$K reaction as a probe. The results of the proof-of-principle experiment with the ${}^{40}$Ar beam show that cross-section measurements within an uncertainty of $\sim$25\% are feasible with count rates up to 7 counts/mb/pnA/s. In this article, we give a detailed description of the experimental setup, and present the analysis method and results from the test experiment. Future plans on using the technique in experiments with the separator for capture reactions (SECAR) that is currently being commissioned are also discussed.

arXiv commentSubmitted to NIMA. Revised manuscript after referees' first review

References in corpus (12)

• The r-process of stellar nucleosynthesis: Astrophysics and nuclear physics achievements and mysteries
• Neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis of A>64 nuclei: The nu p-process
• Uncertainties in the nu p-process: supernova dynamics versus nuclear physics
• Novel Techniques for Constraining Neutron-Capture Rates Relevant for r-Process Heavy-Element Nucleosynthesis
• Measurements of neutron-induced reactions in inverse kinematics
• A spallation-based neutron target for direct studies of neutron-induced reactions in inverse kinematics
• Uncertainties in $\nu$p-process nucleosynthesis from Monte Carlo variation of reaction rates
• LENDA, a Low Energy Neutron Detector Array for experiments with radioactive beams in inverse kinematics
• Status of the JENSA gas-jet target for experiments with rare isotope beams
• Digital Data Acquisition For the Low Energy Neutron Detector Array (LENDA)
• Constraining the destruction rate of ${}^{40}$K in stellar nucleosynthesis through the study of the ${}^{40}$Ar(p,n)${}^{40}$K reaction
• Measurement of the equilibrium charge state distributions of Ni, Co, and Cu beams in Mo at 2 MeV/u: review and evaluation of the relevant semi-empirical models

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Horizons: Nuclear Astrophysics in the 2020s and Beyond
• Implementation and validation of realistic (n,x) reaction yields in GEANT4 utilizing a detailed evaluated nuclear reaction library below 20 MeV
• Machine-Learning-Enabled Measurements of Astrophysical (p,n) Reactions with the SECAR Recoil Separator