THERMONUCLEAR REACTION-RATE OF MG-23(P, GAMMA)AL-24

Updated stellar rates for the reaction Mg-23(p,gamma)Al-24 are calcula ted by using all available experimental information on Al-24 excitatio n energies. Proton and gamma-ray partial widths for astrophysically im portant resonances are derived from shell-model calculations. Correspo ndences of experimentally observed Al-24 levels with shell-model state s are based on application of the isobaric multiplet mass equation. Ou r new rates suggest that the Mg-23(p, gamma)Al-24 reaction influences the nucleosynthesis in the mass A > 20 region during thermonuclear run aways on massive white dwarfs.