Speaker
Description
The two reactions $^{22}$Ne($\alpha,[n/\gamma])^{[25,26]}$Mg are of high importance for our understanding of stellar nucleosynthesis processes. Knowledge of their low energy cross sections in the region of the alpha and neutron thresholds is crucial for the description of the s processes, branch point populations and more. Indirect probes of near threshold states have delivered a swatch of data, but many open questions remain on the exact strengths of the two reactions channels. Direct measurements have reached their limit in surface laboratories with the determination of the strength of a strong E${_\alpha} \approx 830$ keV resonance.
Over the last years, a concerted effort to directly measure these two reactions in the threshold energy region has been undertaken at the deep underground Gran Sasso National laboratory of the INFN, funded by the ERC, the Italian Ministry of Research and within the framework of the LUNA collaboration. The first part, the measurement of the neutron channel, has been concluded in December 25 and preparations for the $(\alpha, \gamma)$ measurement have reached their final phase, with first underground beam expected late spring of 26. We will report on the preliminary neutron results and give an overview of the second part of the campaign.
| Contribution category | Experiment |
|---|---|
| Presenter status | Faculty/Staff |