Study of the $${{^{25}}}$$Mg(d,p)$${{^{26}}}$$Mg reaction to constrain the $${{^{25}}}$$Al(p,$${\gamma }$$)$${{^{26}}}$$Si resonant reaction rates in nova burning conditions

Abstract

AbstractThe rate of the $$^{25}$$25Al(p, $$\gamma $$γ)$$^{26}$$26Si reaction is one of the few key remaining nuclear uncertainties required for predicting the production of the cosmic $$\gamma $$γ-ray emitter $$^{26}$$26Al in explosive burning in novae. This reaction rate is dominated by three key resonances ($$J^{\pi }=0^{+}$$Jπ=0+, $$1^{+}$$1+ and $$3^{+}$$3+) in $$^{26}$$26Si. Only the $$3^{+}$$3+ resonance strength has been directly constrained by experiment. A high resolution measurement of the $$^{25}$$25Mg(d, p) reaction was used to determine spectroscopic factors for analog states in the mirror nucleus, $$^{26}$$26Mg. A first spectroscopic factor value is reported for the $$0^{+}$$0+ state at 6.256 MeV, and a strict upper limit is set on the value for the $$1^{+}$$1+ state at 5.691 MeV, that is incompatible with an earlier ($$^{4}$$4He, $$^{3}$$3He) study. These results are used to estimate proton partial widths, and resonance strengths of analog states in $$^{26}$$26Si contributing to the $$^{25}$$25Al(p, $$\gamma $$γ)$$^{26}$$26Si reaction rate in nova burning conditions.