Examining the E_x = 7262 and 7249 keV States of Fluorine-19 with the 15N(alpha,gamma)19F Reaction

Properties of important neon-19 levels affect the production of the radioisotope fluorine-18 in novae and can be constrained from studies of the mirror nucleus fluorine-19.  The 15N(a,g)19F reaction has been used to study the astrophysically important but relatively unexamined region of 19F between E_x=7.0-7.3 MeV (E_a ~ 3.9-4.2 MeV).  A previously known 19F state at E_x=7.262 MeV was studied and a new higher spin state was discovered near 7.249 MeV.  Measured information for these states include branching ratios and resonance strengths from which the gamma decay widths can be extracted.  The measurement and preliminary analysis will be presented.