ENERGY-LOSS, ELECTRON SCREENING AND THE ASTROPHYSICAL HE-3(D,P)HE-4 CROSS-SECTION

We reanalyze the low-energy He-3(d,p)He-4 cross section measurements o f Engstler et al. using recently measured energy loss data for proton and deuteron beams in a helium gas. Although the new He-3(d,p)He-4 ast rophysical S-factors are significantly lower than those reported by En gstler el al., they clearly show the presence of electron screening ef fects. From the new astrophysical S-factors we find an electron screen ing energy in agreement with the adiabatic limit.