Coulomb dissociation of 8B at sub-barrier energies

Abstract A radioactive beam of 26 MeV 8 B has been utilized to measure the Coulomb dissociation of 8 B on 58 Ni. At these subcoulomb barrier energies, the method provides an accurate means to understand the role of E2 photons in the breakup reaction. The results are critical for the determination of the S 17 factor of the inverse reaction — the astrophysically relevant radiative proton capture of 7 Be - using the method of Coulomb excitation.