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Reaction atlas · Neutron sources

Particle-exchange reaction · Neutron sources of the s-process

17O(α,n)20Ne

: oxygen‑17 + helium‑4 → neon‑20 + neutronHow to read the notation

On this page

Oxygen-17 captures a helium nucleus and gives back a neutron. It decides whether neutrons swallowed by the abundant oxygen-16 are lost or returned.

In massive stars, and even more in stars poor in heavy elements, oxygen-16 is very abundant and captures many of the neutrons released by neon-22. These neutrons would be lost to the s-process, which is why oxygen-16 is called a neutron poison. The oxygen-17 it forms can capture a helium nucleus in two ways. This reaction releases the neutron again, while the competing 17O(α,γ)21Ne keeps it. The ratio of the two decides how strongly oxygen-16 poisons the s-process, and therefore how many heavy elements metal-poor massive stars can make.

Facts

How well known
What matters is how this reaction competes with 17O(α,γ)21Ne; both have been measured, but not at the lowest energies of helium burning.
Live evaluation
No live evaluation yet · Evaluations
Reaction rates
Explore the rates →
Q-value · energy released
0.587 MeV
Gamow window
  • 515 ± 135 keVmassive star, He core end, 0.3 GK (Neutron sources of the s-process)
Kind
Particle-exchange reaction

How it was measured

2 measurements, 2013–2022Show the list
  1. 2013

    Nuclear Science Laboratory, Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame

    Direct measurement at the surface · E(α,lab) = 0.8–2.3 MeV

    (α,n) cross section with a moderating neutron detector and, separately, from the 1633 keV γ-ray of 20Ne; R-matrix fit to both channels and a new rate for 0.1–10 GK. [1]

  2. 2022

    DRAGON, TRIUMFTRIUMF

    Inverse kinematics and recoil separators · 17O(α,γ)21Ne resonances between 612 and 1318 keV

    Competing (α,γ) channel: upper limit ωγ < 140 neV (95% CL) for the 612 keV resonance; the new (α,γ) rate is lower than earlier ones and increases the weak s-process yields of a rotating low-metallicity 20 M☉ star. [2]

Measurements (EXFOR)

Every dataset EXFOR holds for this reaction, drawn by the energies it covers, against the energies a star uses.

13 datasets in 5 EXFOR entries, 1967–2013 · 2 without an energy range, not drawn

massive star, He core end, T₉ = 0.3 (300 MK)

Lowest energy in EXFOR
521 keV
Kunz et al., 1994 · σ · O2293.004
Distance from the Gamow peak
Inside the window
E₀ = 514 keV, window 381–647 keV
Rate from energies not in EXFOR
47%
at T₉ = 0.3, smooth estimate · 47% of it lies below the lowest energy in EXFOR
100 keV1 MeV10 MeV100 MeVCentre-of-mass energy (keV)E₀ = 514 keVσσ→Eₓdσ/dΩωγlowest in EXFOR 521 keV
  • Gamow window, hatched where no measurement reaches
  • Outlined bars are shown but not counted (the rule is under “How these numbers are made”).
  • A diamond is a dataset at a single energy. Bars running off the right edge continue to higher energies.
The datasets of the gap map, by quantity
The datasets of the gap map, by quantity
QuantityDatasetsE_cm range (keV)
σcross section5405 keV – 10.1 MeV
σ→Eₓpartial4555 keV – 1.88 MeV
dσ/dΩangular distribution17.93 MeV – 9.87 MeV
ωγresonance strength12.46 MeV – 2.46 MeV
How these numbers are made

Lowest measured energy, everywhere in the data explorer: the lowest centre-of-mass energy at which a dataset in EXFOR measures the reaction itself (cross section, S-factor, angular distribution, yield or resonance strength), judged point by point. A point counts when it is a value, not an upper or lower limit, when it lies at least one standard deviation above zero, and when its energy is physical: at least 1 keV for charged particles, and not below the threshold of an endothermic reaction. Not counted: extrapolated, calculated, evaluated or derived values; superseded, deleted or preliminary data; ratios; a single S-factor value, which in EXFOR is a fit result; and indirect methods (Trojan horse, Coulomb dissociation, ANC, surrogate reactions), recognized from EXFOR's method and analysis codes, their text and the title. Frame and unit errors of EXFOR are corrected first, and values the literature shows to be upper limits are read as limits, from a list that gives the evidence for each. Datasets that reach the same energy within 0.5% are all credited, earliest first. Rate from energies not in EXFOR: the share of the rate integrand at that temperature outside the energy ranges the counted datasets cover (from their lowest measured point to their highest), with a constant S-factor (σ ∝ S(E₀)/E · e^−2πη, so the integrand is e^(−E/kT − 2πη)); for a neutron capture, σ ∝ 1/v. Resonances make the real integrand lumpy, so read it as a smooth baseline.

Details

How well known, in detail: What matters is the (α,n)/(α,γ) ratio; both channels have been measured directly, but not at the lowest energies of core helium burning.

The relevant quantity is the ratio of the (α,n) and (α,γ) rates at T9 ≈ 0.2–0.3, set by resonances in 21Ne above the α threshold. Best et al. (2013) measured the (α,n) channel at Notre Dame between E(α,lab) = 0.8 and 2.3 MeV with a moderating neutron detector, and independently through the 1633 keV γ-ray of 20Ne; a simultaneous R-matrix fit to both channels gave a new rate for 0.1–10 GK. They found the (α,γ) channel strong enough to compete with the neutron channel, so neutrons are recycled less efficiently than assumed when the (α,γ) channel was taken to be very weak. In the competing channel, DRAGON measurements in inverse kinematics set an upper limit of 140 neV (95% CL) on the 612 keV resonance, which removes it from the (α,γ) rate (Williams et al. 2022).

Peak energy E0 ± half the 1/e width, centre of mass, from the AME2020 masses.

Evaluations

Compilations that combine the data into a recommended rate.

  • —C. Angulo, M. Arnould, M. Rayet et al. (NACRE Collaboration), Nucl. Phys. A 656, 3 (1999) [3]

Open questions

  • The ratio of 17O(α,n)20Ne to 17O(α,γ)21Ne at the temperatures of core helium burning and shell carbon burning.

Related reactions

References

  1. 1.
  2. 2.

    M. Williams, A. M. Laird, A. Choplin, P. Adsley, B. Davids, U. Greife, K. Hudson, D. Hutcheon, A. Lennarz, C. Ruiz

    Constraints on key 17O(α,γ)21Ne resonances and impact on the weak s-process

    Phys. Rev. C 105, 065805 (2022) · 10.1103/PhysRevC.105.065805 · arXiv:2206.06016

  3. 3.

    C. Angulo, M. Arnould, M. Rayet et al. (NACRE Collaboration)

    A compilation of charged-particle induced thermonuclear reaction rates

    Nucl. Phys. A 656, 3 (1999)

How to cite this page

J. Skowronski, 17O(α,n)20Ne, in Reaction atlas, 2026-10-12, https://jskowron.eu/atlas/17O-an-20Ne.

Cite the date you used; it is the last change to this page.

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