Measurement of the 10 keV resonance in the $^{10}$B($p, \alpha_0$)$^7$Be reaction via the Trojan Horse Method

TL;DR

This study measures the astrophysical S-factor of the $^{10}$B(p,$eta$)$^7$Be reaction at very low energies using the Trojan Horse Method, providing new insights into the resonance behavior relevant for nuclear astrophysics.

Contribution

The paper presents the first measurement of the $^{10}$B(p,$eta$)$^7$Be S(E)-factor at energies down to 5 keV using THM, revealing the low-energy resonance structure.

Findings

Determined the S(E)-factor for the reaction at energies from 100 keV to 5 keV.

Provided an independent estimate of the electron screening potential $U_e$.

Enhanced understanding of the low-energy resonance in $^{10}$B(p,$eta$)$^7$Be.

Abstract

The $^{10}$B(p,$\alpha_0$)$^7$Be bare nucleus astrophysical S(E)-factor has been measured for the first time at energies from about 100 keV down to about 5 keV by means of the Trojan Horse Method (THM). In this energy region, the S(E)-factor is strongly dominated by the 8.699 MeV $^{11}$C level (J$^{\pi}$=$\frac{5}{2}$$^+$), producing an s-wave resonance centered at about 10 keV in the entrance channel. Up to now, only the high energy tail of this resonant has been measured, while the low-energy trend is extrapolated from the available direct data. The THM has been applied to the quasi-free $^2$H($^{10}$B,$\alpha_0$$^7$Be)n reaction induced at a boron-beam energy of 24.5 MeV. An accurate analysis brings to the determination of the $^{10}$B(p,$\alpha_0$)$^7$Be S(E)-factor and of the corresponding electron screening potential $U_e$, thus giving for the first time an independent evaluation of it.