Proton capture on P-30 in novae: On the existence of states at 6.40 MeV and 6.65 MeV in S-31

We use a high-resolution S-32(d , t) measurement to investigate the claimed existence of a 6401(3) keV state in S-31 that may affect the P-30(p, gamma) nuclear reaction rate in oxygen-neon (ONe) novae. Our data are shown to exclude the null hypothesis-that the state does not exist-with high significance. Additionally, the data also suggest the existence of a hitherto unreported state at 6648(4) keV. This state corresponds to a P-30(p, gamma) resonance at 517(4) keV, located below the higher edge of the Gamow window for peak nova temperatures of about 0.4 GK.