Properties of theT3(p,γ)He4Reaction

Abstract

Yield and angular distribution measurements on the ${\mathrm{T}}^3(p,\gamma ){\mathrm{He}}^4$ reaction have been made for protons up to 2.5 Mev. The yield indicates a resonance in the ${\mathrm{He}}^4$ nucleus at a proton energy of about 2.5 Mev, giving an excited level at 21.6 Mev. The angular yield of the gamma-rays fits an $A+B{sin}^2\vartheta$ distribution very well, suggesting that the gamma-rays are due predominantly to a transition from the ${}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}P_1^{}{}_{}{}^{}$ state to the ${}_{}{}^1{}_{}{}^{}S_0^{}{}_{}{}^{}$ state. An aluminum absorption curve for the secondaries produced in a lead radiator was taken, and a direct comparison made with the 17.5-Mev gamma-rays from the ${\mathrm{Li}}^7(p,\gamma ){\mathrm{Be}}^8$ reaction, showing that the ${\mathrm{T}}^3(p,\gamma ){\mathrm{He}}^4$ gamma-rays are of higher energy.