Study of key resonances in ¹⁵N(α,γ)¹⁹F

Helium radiative capture plays a key role in many stellar environments beyond their hydrogen burning phase. Due to the low cross sections of these reactions at astrophysically relevant temperatures, direct measurements of these reactions pose significant challenges. The St. George recoil mass separator at Notre Dame is designed to directly measure the products of helium radiative capture.

Here the status of two recent measurements will be reported. These include the investigation of resonance properties of two resonances in ¹⁵N(α,γ)¹⁹F, and a study of those same resonances in ¹⁹F using ¹⁵N(α,α)¹⁵N at 180 degrees in the center of mass frame in inverse kinematics with St. George. These recent measurements, as well as future plans for (α,γ) reactions measurements, will be discussed in this talk.