Data Analysis of Resonant Proton Scattering in Inverse Kinematics

Abstract

This thesis aims to study a resonant proton scattering experiment performed at CERNISOLDE,Geneva, during the summer of 2012. The main focus is detector calibration, data analysis and interpretation of the experimental data. A radioactive beam of 21Na at 3 MeV/u was impinging on a 5.6 mg/cm2 polyethylene,(CH2)n, target in vacuum. Ejectile protons from nuclear reactions of the beam and the target were analyzed by two silicon strip detectors used in a telescope configuration. The resonant elastic scattering reaction 21Na(p,p)21Na is of particular interest due to the importance of 22Mg in stellar nucleosynthesis. Several previously known excited states of 22Mg have been identified at somewhat higher energies than previously reported. Also some, possibly new, states have been observed.