Abstract
The 13 C(α,n)16 O reaction is the prevalent neutron source for the main s-process. The direct measurement of this reaction at stellar temperature (kT =8 keV) has so far not been possible due to the very low cross section at the corresponding energy. The extrapolation of the astrophysical S -factor of this reaction into the Gamow window (Eα,c.m. =140-230 keV) is complicated by the large uncertainties of the low-energy experimental data and the existence of a state of 17 O near the α-threshold that can have a large effect on low energy cross section. The aim of this paper is to introduce the new LUNA experimental setup, dedicated to the investigation of 13 C(α,n)16 O reaction below Eα,lab =400 keV.
Highlights
Introduction of the newLUNA experimental setup for high precision measurement of the 13C(α,n)16O reaction for astrophysical purposesL
The extrapolation of the astrophysical S-factor of this reaction into the Gamow window (Eα,c.m.=140-230 keV) is complicated by the large uncertainties of the lowenergy experimental data and the existence of a state of 17O near the αthreshold that can have a large effect on low energy cross section
The aim of this paper is to introduce the new LUNA experimental setup, dedicated to the investigation of 13C(α,n)16O reaction below Eα,lab=400 keV
Summary
The 13C(α,n)16O reaction is very important in astrophysical context. The extrapolation of the astrophysical S-factor of this reaction into the Gamow window (Eα,c.m.=140-230 keV) is challenging due to the contested effect of a resonance of 17O located near the threshold and high uncertainties of the experimental data in the low-energy region. The aim of the new project at the LUNA 400 kV accelerator is the determination of cross section of the 13C(α,n)16O reaction approaching, in energy, the Gamow window with an accuracy of about 10% being performed in the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS), Italy. The LNGS Underground Laboratory provides an ideal environment to establish the direct measurement of this reaction at low energy thanks to the reduction of neutron background with 3 orders of magnitude compared with other experiment performed on the Earth surface. The characterization of the environmental neutron and gamma-ray background and preliminary results of the efficiency calculation using Geant code [11] are presented
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