Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Physics Letters B
Publication Date
Page Numbers
311 to 315
Volume
751
Abstract
The astrophysical 18F(p, α)15O rate determines, in large part, the extent to which the observable radioisotope 18F is produced in novae. This rate, however, has been extremely uncertain owing to the unknown properties of a strong subthreshold resonance and its possible interference with higher-lying resonances. The new Jet Experiments in Nuclear Structure and Astrophysics (JENSA) gas-jet target has been used for the first time to determine the spin of this important resonance and significantly reduce uncertainties in the 18F(p, α)15O rate.