Measurement of the 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb cross section motivated by type Ia supernova nucleosynthesis

TL;DR

This study experimentally measured the 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb reaction cross section at astrophysical energies, providing crucial data to improve models of heavy isotope synthesis in type Ia supernovae, which previously relied solely on theoretical predictions.

Contribution

The paper presents the first experimental measurement of the 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb cross section, validating theoretical models used in supernova nucleosynthesis simulations.

Findings

Measured cross section confirms theoretical predictions

Supports the role of 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb in supernova nucleosynthesis

Provides data for modeling early solar system isotope abundances

Abstract

The synthesis of heavy, proton rich isotopes is a poorly understood astrophysical process. Thermonuclear (type Ia) supernova explosions are among the suggested sites and the abundance of some isotopes present in the early solar system may be used to test the models. 92Nb is such an isotope and one of the reactions playing a role in its synthesis is 91Zr(p,gamma)92Nb. As no experimental cross sections were available for this reaction so far, nucleosynthesis models had to solely rely on theoretical calculations. In the present work the cross section of 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb has been measured at astrophysical energies by activation. The results excellently confirm the predictions of cross sections and reaction rates for 91Zr(p,gamma)92Nb, as used in astrophysical simulations.