Measurement of the ¹⁴⁰Ce(n,γ) Cross Section at n_TOF and Its Astrophysical Implications for the Chemical Evolution of the Universe

Author(s)

, S. Amaducci, N. Colonna, L. Cosentino, S. Cristallo, P. Finocchiaro, M. Krtička, C. Massimi, M. Mastromarco, A. Mazzone, E. A. Maugeri, A. Mengoni, I. U. Roederer, O. Straniero, S. Valenta, D. Vescovi, O. Aberle, V. Alcayne, J. Andrzejewski, L. Audouin, V. Babiano-Suarez, M. Bacak, M. Barbagallo, S. Bennett, E. Berthoumieux, J. Billowes, D. Bosnar, A. Brown, M. Busso, M. Caamaño, L. Caballero-Ontanaya, F. Calviño, M. Calviani, D. Cano-Ott, A. Casanovas, F. Cerutti, E. Chiaveri, G. Cortés, M. A. Cortés-Giraldo, L. A. Damone, P. J. Davies, M. Diakaki, M. Dietz, C. Domingo-Pardo, R. Dressler, Q. Ducasse, E. Dupont, I. Durán, Z. Eleme, B. Fernández-Domínguez, A. Pavlik

Abstract

Ce140(n,γ) is a key reaction for slow neutron-capture (s-process) nucleosynthesis due to being a bottleneck in the reaction flow. For this reason, it was measured with high accuracy (uncertainty ≈5%) at the n_TOF facility, with an unprecedented combination of a high purity sample and low neutron-sensitivity detectors. The measured Maxwellian averaged cross section is up to 40% higher than previously accepted values. Stellar model calculations indicate a reduction around 20% of the s-process contribution to the Galactic cerium abundance and smaller sizeable differences for most of the heavier elements. No variations are found in the nucleosynthesis from massive stars.

Organisation(s)

Isotope Physics

External organisation(s)

Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Roma, INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Perugia, Charles University Prague, Università degli Studi di Catania, University of Bologna, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati-Traverso", CNR, Paul Scherrer Institute, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, North Carolina State University, University of Michigan, Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics-Center for the Evolution of the Elements (JINA-CEE), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Napoli, Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y Tecnológica, University of Lodz, IPHC, Universitat de València, Technische Universität Wien, Université Paris Saclay, University of Manchester, University of Zagreb, University of York, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universidad de Sevilla, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), University of Edinburgh, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, University of Ioannina

Journal

Physical Review Letters

Volume

132

No. of pages

8

ISSN

0031-9007

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.122701

Publication date

03-2024

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103014 Nuclear physics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/02d370d4-9212-41c0-930e-193509b9765e