Measurements with DRAGON on resonances in the 21Na(p, γ)22Mg reaction with a radioactive ion beam

Abstract In the modelling of nucleosynthesis in nova explosions, temperature and density are important parameters to describe the hydrodynamics. Those parameters are not easy to observe, but specific gamma-ray emitters produced in the explosion provide constrains on the models, such as 22 Na, produced via 21 Na ( p , γ ) 22 Mg ( β + ) 22 Na . The new DRAGON recoil separator facility, designed and built to measure directly the rates of radiative proton and alpha capture reactions, important for nuclear astrophysics, is now operational. Experiments have been conducted on the 21 Na(p , γ) 22 Mg reaction using a radioactive 21 Na beam incident onto a windowless hydrogen gas target. Yield measurements have been performed detecting the prompt gamma and the reaction recoils at E cm ≈ 821 keV and 204 keV.