Experimental evidence of a natural parity state in $^{26}$Mg and its impact to the production of neutrons for the s process

Abstract

We have studied natural parity states in $^{26}$Mg via the $^{22}$Ne($^{6}$Li,d)$^{26}$Mg reaction. Our method significantly improves the energy resolution of previous experiments and, as a result, we report the observation of a natural parity state in $^{26}$Mg. Possible spin-parity assignments are suggested on the basis of published $γ$-ray decay experiments. The stellar rate of the $^{22}$Ne($α$,$γ$)$^{26}$Mg reaction is reduced and may give rise to an increase in the production of s-process neutrons via the $^{22}$Ne($α$,n)$^{25}$Mg reaction.

Published in PRC