A new study of $^{10}$B(p,$\alpha$)$^{7}$Be reaction at low energies

TL;DR

This study measures the $^{10}$B(p,$eta$)$^{7}$Be reaction cross section at low energies, revealing discrepancies with previous data and suggesting a potential new $^{11}$C nuclear level, with implications for nuclear physics and astrophysics.

Contribution

It provides new, precise cross section measurements for the $^{10}$B(p,$eta$)$^{7}$Be reaction and proposes the existence of an unobserved $^{11}$C level based on R-matrix analysis.

Findings

Discrepancy with previous data at the same energies.

Reduced total uncertainty to 6%.

Indication of a possible new $^{11}$C level.

Abstract

The $^{10}$B(p,$\alpha$)$^{7}$Be reaction is of great interest since it has many applications in different fields of research such as nuclear astrophysics, nuclear physics, and models of new reactors for clean energy generation. This reaction has been studied at the AN2000 accelerator of the INFN National Laboratories of Legnaro (LNL). The total cross section has been measured in a wide energy range (250 $-$ 1182 keV) by using the activation method. The decays of the $^7$Be nuclei produced by the reaction were measured at the low counting facility of LNL by using two fully shielded high-purity germanium detectors. The present dataset shows a large discrepancy with respect to one of the previous data at the same energies and reduces the total uncertainty to the level of 6\%. An R-matrix calculation has been performed on the present data using the parameters from previous Trojan Horse measurements for the 10 and 500 keV resonances. The present data do not lay on the R-matrix fit in one point suggesting the existence of a $^{11}$C level not observed yet. Further nuclear investigations are needed to confirm this hypothesis.