Study of the $^{44}$Ti$(\alpha,p)^{47}$V47 reaction and implications for core collapse supernovae

The underlying physics triggering core collapse supernovae is not fully understood but observations of material ejected during such events helps to solve this puzzle. In particular, several satellite based γ -ray observations of the isotope 44 Ti have been reported recently. Conveniently, the amount of this isotope in stellar ejecta is thought to depend critically on the explosion mechanism. The most influential reaction to the amount of 44 Ti in supernovae is 44 Ti ( α , p ) 47 V. Here we report on a direct study of this reaction conducted at the REX-ISOLDE facility, CERN. The experiment was performed with a 44 Ti beam at E lab = 2 . 16 MeV / u, corresponding to an energy distribution, for reacting α -particles, centred on E cm = 4 . 15 with a 1 σ width of 0.23 MeV. This is, for the first time, well within the Gamow window for core collapse supernovae. The material from which the 44 Ti beam was extracted originates from highly irradiated components of the SINQ spallation neutron source of the Paul Scherrer Institute. No yield above background was observed, enabling an upper limit for the rate of this reaction to be determined. This result is below expectation, suggesting that the 44 Ti ( α , p ) 47 V reaction proceeds more slowly than previously thought. Implications for astrophysical events, and remnant age, are discussed