The design and construction of an active-target detector for the study of the 20Ne(α,α’)20Ne* reaction
Date
2015-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
The existence of an excited 3a resonant state in 12C, which is crucial for the
thermonuclear fusion of carbon in red giant stars, was predicted by Fred Hoyle in 1954.
Since the experimental observation of the Hoyle state in 1957, studies have evolved to
examine a-decay processes in other light nuclides such as 8Be and 16O. Populating a-cluster states and observation of the subsequent decay becomes difficult for a-conjugate
nuclei heavier than 12C. A study of 20Ne carried out using the 22Ne(p,t)20Ne* reaction
revealed a candidate for a 0+ 5a state at 22.5 MeV known as the 20Ne Hoyle analogue.
Description
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
Keywords
Time projection chambers (Nuclear physics), Magnetic spectrometer, Hoyle-like state, Cluster in nuclei, Neon -- Isotopes, UCTD