Studies of $^{18}$Ne using ANASEN*

Efficient and selective techniques are required to study reactions important in stellar explosions with radioactive ion beams. The Array for Nuclear Astrophysics Studies with Exotic Nuclei (ANASEN) is designed to study charged-particle reactions important in the $\alpha $p- and rp- processes with essentially complete solid angle coverage using an array of 40 silicon-strip detectors backed with CsI scintillators, covering an area of roughly 1300 cm$^{2}$. ANASEN also includes an active gas target/detector using a position-sensitive annular gas proportional counter that allows direct measurement of ($\alpha $,p) reactions in inverse kinematics. Results from some of the first measurements using a partial implementation of ANASEN at the RESOLUT radioactive ion beam facility will be presented, focusing on measurements of ~$^{17}$F(p,p)$^{17}$F and $^{17}$F(p,$\alpha )^{14}$O reactions that are important to understanding the structure of $^{18}$Ne and the $^{14}$O($\alpha $,p)$^{17}$F reaction rate.