Ar Reactions: Mimicking Nuclear Reactions in Classical Novae*

Thermonuclear reactions drive stellar explosions including classical novae. Ashes from these reactions are found in presolar grains that are encapsulated in meteorites and then found on Earth. One reaction that affects the composition of these ashes from classical novae is the ³⁴Cl(p, γ)³⁵Ar reaction.  However, studying this reaction is very difficult because of the low cross section of ³⁴Cl(p, γ)³⁵Ar and the lack of intense ³⁴Cl beams. Instead, we measured the ³²S(⁶Li,t)³⁵Ar*(p)³⁴Cl reaction in order to mimic the ³⁴Cl(p, γ)³⁵Ar reaction. In collaboration with Florida State University, we studied the ³²S(⁶Li,t)³⁵Ar reaction using the Super Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph (SE-SPS), which detects the reaction tritons with a focal plane detector.  Proton-decays of excited states in ³⁵Ar populated via this transfer reaction were measured with the Silicon Array for Branching Ratio Experiments (SABRE).  SABRE measured the proton decays in coincidence with the tritons from the ³²S(⁶Li,t)³⁵Ar reaction in order to determine nuclear information on states in ³⁵Ar above the proton threshold, such as proton branching ratios. Analysis of these data and preliminary results will be presented.