Impact of a revised 25Mg(p, γ)26Al reaction rate on the operation of the Mg-Al cycle

Abstract

Proton captures on Mg isotopes play an important role in the Mg-Al cycle active in stellar H-burning regions. In particular, low-energy nuclear resonances in the 25Mg(p, γ)26Al reaction affect the production of radioactive 26Algs as well as the resulting Mg/Al abundance ratio. Reliable estimations of these quantities require precise measurements of the strengths of low-energy resonances. Based on a new experimental study performed at the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics, we provide revised rates of the 25Mg(p, γ) 26Algs and the 25Mg(p, γ) 26Alm reactions with corresponding uncertainties. In the temperature range 50-150 MK, the new recommended rate of 26Al m production is up to five times higher than previously assumed. In addition, at T = 100 MK, the revised total reaction rate is a factor of two higher. Note that this is the range of temperature at which the Mg-Al cycle operates in a H-burning zone. The effects of this revision are discussed. Due to the significantly larger 25Mg(p, γ)26Alm rate, the estimated production of 26Algs in H-burning regions is less efficient than previously obtained. As a result, the new rates should imply a smaller contribution from Wolf-Rayet stars to the galactic 26Al budget. Similarly, we show that the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) extra-mixing scenario does not appear able to explain the most extreme values of 26Al/27Al, i.e., >10-2, found in some O-rich presolar grains. Finally, the substantial increase of the total reaction rate makes the hypothesis of self-pollution by massive AGBs a more robust explanation for the Mg-Al anticorrelation observed in globular-cluster stars. © 2013. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..