First Direct Measurement Constraining the Ar 34 (α, p) K 37 Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars

JENSA Collaboration

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701

First Direct Measurement Constraining the Ar 34 (α, p) K 37 Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars

JENSA Collaboration

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2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The rate of the final step in the astrophysical αp process, the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction, suffers from large uncertainties due to a lack of experimental data, despite having a considerable impact on the observable light curves of x-ray bursts and the composition of the ashes of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars. We present the first direct measurement constraining the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction cross section, using the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics gas jet target. The combined cross section for the Ar34,Cl(α,p)K37,Ar reaction is found to agree well with Hauser-Feshbach predictions. The Ar34(α,2p)Ar36 cross section, which can be exclusively attributed to the Ar34 beam component, also agrees to within the typical uncertainties quoted for statistical models. This indicates the applicability of the statistical model for predicting astrophysical (α,p) reaction rates in this part of the αp process, in contrast to earlier findings from indirect reaction studies indicating orders-of-magnitude discrepancies. This removes a significant uncertainty in models of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars.

Original language	English
Article number	212701
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	130
Issue number	21
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701
State	Published - May 26 2023

Funding

The authors would like to thank all those who made contributions to JENSA and E15232. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics under Contracts No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 (ORNL) and No. DE-FG02-93ER40789 (Colorado School of Mines), and by the National Science Foundation under Awards No. PHY-1430152 (JINA Center for the Evolution of the Elements), No. PHY-1565546 (NSCL), No. PHY-1913554 (MSU), and No. PHY-2011890 (Notre Dame). Research was sponsored by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy. This work was also supported partially by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grants funded by the Korean government (Grant No. 2020R1A2C1005981).

Funders	Funder number
NSCL	PHY-1913554
National Science Foundation	PHY-1430152, PHY-1565546
National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Nuclear Physics	DE-AC05-00OR22725
Nuclear Physics
Oak Ridge National Laboratory	DE-FG02-93ER40789
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Midwestern State University	PHY-2011890
Midwestern State University
Colorado School of Mines
National Research Foundation of Korea	2020R1A2C1005981
National Research Foundation of Korea

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10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701

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@article{4e60375383404265bb5ce9976a8cc8ad,

title = "First Direct Measurement Constraining the Ar 34 (α, p) K 37 Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars",

abstract = "The rate of the final step in the astrophysical αp process, the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction, suffers from large uncertainties due to a lack of experimental data, despite having a considerable impact on the observable light curves of x-ray bursts and the composition of the ashes of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars. We present the first direct measurement constraining the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction cross section, using the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics gas jet target. The combined cross section for the Ar34,Cl(α,p)K37,Ar reaction is found to agree well with Hauser-Feshbach predictions. The Ar34(α,2p)Ar36 cross section, which can be exclusively attributed to the Ar34 beam component, also agrees to within the typical uncertainties quoted for statistical models. This indicates the applicability of the statistical model for predicting astrophysical (α,p) reaction rates in this part of the αp process, in contrast to earlier findings from indirect reaction studies indicating orders-of-magnitude discrepancies. This removes a significant uncertainty in models of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars.",

author = "{JENSA Collaboration} and J. Browne and Chipps, {K. A.} and Konrad Schmidt and H. Schatz and S. Ahn and Pain, {S. D.} and F. Montes and Ong, {W. J.} and U. Greife and J. Allen and Bardayan, {D. W.} and Blackmon, {J. C.} and D. Blankstein and S. Cha and Chae, {K. Y.} and M. Febbraro and Hall, {M. R.} and Jones, {K. L.} and A. Kontos and Z. Meisel and O'Malley, {P. D.} and Schmitt, {K. T.} and K. Smith and Smith, {M. S.} and P. Thompson and R. Toomey and M. Vostinar and D. Walter",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 American Physical Society.",

year = "2023",

month = may,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701",

language = "English",

volume = "130",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "21",

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T1 - First Direct Measurement Constraining the Ar 34 (α, p) K 37 Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars

AU - JENSA Collaboration

AU - Browne, J.

AU - Chipps, K. A.

AU - Schmidt, Konrad

AU - Schatz, H.

AU - Ahn, S.

AU - Pain, S. D.

AU - Montes, F.

AU - Ong, W. J.

AU - Greife, U.

AU - Allen, J.

AU - Bardayan, D. W.

AU - Blackmon, J. C.

AU - Blankstein, D.

AU - Cha, S.

AU - Chae, K. Y.

AU - Febbraro, M.

AU - Hall, M. R.

AU - Jones, K. L.

AU - Kontos, A.

AU - Meisel, Z.

AU - O'Malley, P. D.

AU - Schmitt, K. T.

AU - Smith, K.

AU - Smith, M. S.

AU - Thompson, P.

AU - Toomey, R.

AU - Vostinar, M.

AU - Walter, D.

PY - 2023/5/26

Y1 - 2023/5/26

N2 - The rate of the final step in the astrophysical αp process, the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction, suffers from large uncertainties due to a lack of experimental data, despite having a considerable impact on the observable light curves of x-ray bursts and the composition of the ashes of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars. We present the first direct measurement constraining the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction cross section, using the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics gas jet target. The combined cross section for the Ar34,Cl(α,p)K37,Ar reaction is found to agree well with Hauser-Feshbach predictions. The Ar34(α,2p)Ar36 cross section, which can be exclusively attributed to the Ar34 beam component, also agrees to within the typical uncertainties quoted for statistical models. This indicates the applicability of the statistical model for predicting astrophysical (α,p) reaction rates in this part of the αp process, in contrast to earlier findings from indirect reaction studies indicating orders-of-magnitude discrepancies. This removes a significant uncertainty in models of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars.

AB - The rate of the final step in the astrophysical αp process, the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction, suffers from large uncertainties due to a lack of experimental data, despite having a considerable impact on the observable light curves of x-ray bursts and the composition of the ashes of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars. We present the first direct measurement constraining the Ar34(α,p)K37 reaction cross section, using the Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics gas jet target. The combined cross section for the Ar34,Cl(α,p)K37,Ar reaction is found to agree well with Hauser-Feshbach predictions. The Ar34(α,2p)Ar36 cross section, which can be exclusively attributed to the Ar34 beam component, also agrees to within the typical uncertainties quoted for statistical models. This indicates the applicability of the statistical model for predicting astrophysical (α,p) reaction rates in this part of the αp process, in contrast to earlier findings from indirect reaction studies indicating orders-of-magnitude discrepancies. This removes a significant uncertainty in models of hydrogen and helium burning on accreting neutron stars.

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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.212701

M3 - Article

C2 - 37295108

AN - SCOPUS:85161272297

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 130

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 21

M1 - 212701

ER -

First Direct Measurement Constraining the Ar 34 (α, p) K 37 Reaction Cross Section for Mixed Hydrogen and Helium Burning in Accreting Neutron Stars

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