BREAKOUT FROM THE HOT CNO CYCLE - THE F-18(P,GAMMA) VS F-18(P,ALPHA) BRANCHING RATIO

We have studied the properties of low-lying F-18+p resonances as excit ed states in Ne-19. Three new levels have been found in the range 0 le ss than or equal to E(c.m.)less than or equal to 1 MeV just above the F-18+p threshold, and partial decay widths and isospin-mirror connecti ons are suggested to known states in F-19 for each of the nine states in this energy range. The properties of these resonances have been use d to calculate the reaction rate N-A(sigma v) for the F-18(p,gamma)Ne- 19 and F-18(p,alpha)O-15 reactions in the temperature range 10(8)<T<10 (9). A comparison of these rates indicates that in this temperature ra nge, the O-14(alpha,p)F-17(p,gamma)Ne-18(e(+)nu)F-18(p, gamma)Ne-19 re action sequence is not as fast as the(15)O(alpha, gamma)Ne-19 reaction . [S0556-2813(98)06305-5].