Level structure of 22Mg: implications for the 21Na(p,gamma)22Mg astrophysical reaction rate and for the 22Mg Mass

Phys Rev Lett. 2005 Jan 28;94(3):032501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.032501. Epub 2005 Jan 24.

Abstract

The level structure of (22)Mg has been studied with high-sensitivity gamma-ray spectroscopy techniques. A complete level scheme is derived incorporating all subthreshold states and all levels in the energy region relevant for novae burning. The excitation energy of the most important astrophysical resonance is measured with improved accuracy and found to differ from previous values. Combining the present result with a recent resonance energy measurement of this state leads to a derived (22)Mg mass excess of -400.5(13) keV.