Measurement of Ne-19 spectroscopic properties via a new method of inelastic scattering to study novae

The accuracy of the predictions of the gamma flux produced by a classical nova during the first hours after the outburst is limited by the uncertainties on several reaction rates, including the F-18(p,alpha)O-15 one. Better constraints on this reaction rate can be obtained by determining the spectroscopic properties of the compound nucleus Ne-19. This was achieved in a new inelastic scattering method using a Ne-19 radioactive beam (produced by the GANIL-SPIRAL 1 facility) impinging onto a proton target. The experiment was performed at the VAMOS spectrometer. In this article the performances (excitation energy range covered and excitation energy resolution) and limitations of the new technique are discussed. Excitation energy resolution of sigma=33 keV and low background were obtained with this inverse kinematics method, which will allow extracting the spectroscopic properties of Ne-19.