1. Home ›
2. Research ›
3. Research Highlights ›
4. Deep underground measurement of 11B(α,n)14N

Deep underground measurement of 11B(α,n)14N

Published: September 2023 Wiescher

Lead Author(s): T.C. Borgwardt

The elemental abundance of the first stars leads to questions about their modes of energy production and nucleosynthesis. The formation of ¹²C occurs primarily through the 3α process, but other reaction chains may contribute significantly, such as ⁷Li(α,γ)¹¹B(α,n)¹⁴N. This sequence cannot only bypass the mass A=8 stability gap, but could be a source of neutrons in this environment. However, the efficiency of the chain depends on the possible enhancement of its low energy cross section by α-cluster resonances near the reaction threshold. A new study of the reaction ¹¹B(α,n)¹⁴N has been undertaken at the CASPAR underground facility from 300–700 keV. Learn more

Publication: Deep underground measurement of ¹¹B(α,n)¹⁴N