Eur. Phys. J. A (2022) 58: 128
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-022-00780-0

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Cross-sections of the gamma-producing ²⁵Mg(p,pγ_1-0)²⁵Mg nuclear reaction at E_lab = 870–4020 keV

¹ LIBPhys - Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
² NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
³ HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab, Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal
⁴ DECN, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066, Bobadela, Portugal
⁵ IPFN, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066, Bobadela, Portugal

^a jdc@fct.unl.pt

Received: 21 March 2022
Accepted: 30 June 2022
Published online: 13 July 2022

Abstract

Although the γ-ray line emitting ²⁵Mg(p,pγ_1–0)²⁵Mg (Eγ_1–0 = 585 keV) reaction has been already studied for its relevance in nuclear structure and in material, biomedical, environmental and cultural heritage sciences, significant discrepancies exist in the data. The present paper reports on a new set of cross-section measurements for this reaction in the energy range E_lab = 869–4017 keV. The 585 keV γ-rays were detected at θ_lab = 130° using an HPGe detector. The cross-sections were measured with a small energy step leading to a clear definition of resonances, an aspect that is absent in most previous cross-sections data. Validation of the measured results was made against thick target yields. Several resonances were found for ²⁵Mg(p,pγ_1–0)²⁵Mg, which correspond to new ²⁶Al levels, still not listed in nuclear databases.