Breakout from the hot-CNO cycle via the Ne-18(alpha,p)Na-21 reaction

The present work aims to extend the experiment reported in refs. [1] and [2 ] concerning the Ne-18(alpha, p)Na-21 reaction, by making a measurement at a lower energy (1.50-3.00 MeV in the centre-of-mass frame of the Ne-18 + al pha system) in an attempt to observe other states in the level structure of Mg-22 below 10.57 MeV. A direct measurement of the energy loss of the Ne-1 8 beam, as it passed through He gas, was undertaken to reduce one source of uncertainty in the determination of the stellar reaction rate. The experim ent was undertaken at the radioactive ion beam facility at Louvain-la-Neuve .