Proton decays from $\hat{I}\pm$-unbound states in ${}^{22}$Mg and the ${}^{18}$Ne($\hat{I}\pm ,p_0$)${}^{21}$Na cross section

Abstract

This paper examines the ${}^{18}$Ne($\hat{I}\pm ,p_0$)${}^{21}$Na cross-section relevant in X-ray bursts. The study was performed with the K600 magnetic spectrometer in coincidence with the CAKE, a silicon detector array, at iThemba LABS in Cape Town, South Africa. A 100-MeV proton beam was impinged on a ${}^{24}$Mg target to study the ${}^{24}$Mg($p,t$)${}^{22}$Mg reaction. The triton ejectiles were momentum-analysed with the magnetic spectrometer and proton decays from the ${}^{22}$Mg recoil nucleus to the ground state of ${}^{21}$Na and various excited states thereof were detected with the CAKE. In doing so, we were able to compare our results to previous direct and indirect measurements of the ${}^{18}$Ne($\hat{I}\pm ,p$)${}^{21}$Na reaction.

11 pages, 8 figures