19F(α,n)22Na, 22Ne(p,n)22Na, and the Role of their Inverses in the Destruction of 22Na

Citation

Wrean, Patricia Rose (1998) 19F(α,n)22Na, 22Ne(p,n)22Na, and the Role of their Inverses in the Destruction of 22Na. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/Z91Z42MK. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:03062018-140309587

Abstract

The inverses of the ¹⁹F(α,n)²²Na and ²²Ne(p,n)²²Na reactions may be important destruction mechanisms for ²²Na in neutron-rich, high-temperature or explosive nucleosynthesis. I have measured the cross sections for the ¹⁹F(α,n)²²Na and ²²Ne(p,n)²²Na reactions from threshold to 3.1 and 5.4 MeV, respectively. The absolute efficiency of the 4π neutron detector was determined by Monte Carlo calculations and calibrated using two standard sources and two nuclear reactions. Cross sections for the inverse reactions have been calculated using the principle of detailed balance, and reaction rates for both the reactions and their inverses determined for temperatures between 0.01 and 10 GK for ¹⁹F(α,n)²²Na and between 0.1 and 10 GK for ²²Ne(p,n)²²Na.

Thesis Files