The study of the 17F(α,p) reaction using the upgraded ANASEN detector

The Array for Nuclear Astrophysics and Structure with Exotic Nuclei (ANASEN) is an active target detector optimized to study (α,p) reactions. These reactions, which are important to many astrophysical scenarios, have large uncertainties in their reaction rates due to a lack of direct measurements. ANASEN is designed for use in Radioactive Ion Beam facilities and is capable of handling high beam rates in the range of 10⁶ pps. This high-rate capability promises to achieve sensitivity high enough for measurements of (α,p) reactions in the Gamow window of 1 GK and at sub-millibarn cross-sections. ANASEN has been upgraded with a twisted-wire proportional counter aimed at improving the position resolution. This detector has been commissioned and was used in a radioactive beam experiment to study the ¹⁷F(α,p) reaction. The reaction is important for the study of core-collapse supernovae as it influences the Ye and eventually the production of ⁴⁴Ti in these events. Results from the experiment will be discussed.