Measurement of Near-Threshold Resonances in 9B for Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

The Primordial Lithium Problem remains one of the largest discrepancies between calculation and observation for Standard Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (SBBN), where the calculated value of the ⁷Li abundance is a factor of 3-4 times larger than the observed value. To alleviate this tension, nuclear reactions which could potentially destroy mass-7 nuclei must be investigated. Of particular interest is the reaction ⁷Be+d→2α+p; resonances in the ⁹B compound near the deuteron threshold have been the subject of some investigation. Recent measurements using the Super Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph (SESPS) and the Silicon Array for Branching Ratio Experiments (SABRE) at Florida State University, a potential resonance in ¹⁰B(³He, α)⁹B→⁷Be+d was identified at even lower resonance energy than the previously known 16.8 MeV resonance in ⁹B. Subsequently, a repeat investigation with additional emphasis on the p+⁸Be branch was performed to further investigate this structure. Results and impact on SBBN will be discussed.