High-Energy Gamma Rays from the Proton Bombardment of Fluorine

Abstract

Resonances for emission of gamma rays of energy greater than 8 Mev in the reaction ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}(p, \ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{Ne}}^{20}$ have been measured for proton energies from 550 to 1450 kev using a thin target. Resonances were seen at 669, 874, 935, 980, 1090, 1280, 1320, 1355, 1380, and 1430 kev. The effect of false high-energy gamma-ray counts resulting from the nearly simultaneous detection of two 6-7 Mev gamma rays in the reaction ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}(p, \ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ was noted and a method for correcting for this effect was devised. The intensities of gamma rays for the two reactions were compared at each resonance. Also, the angular distribution of the 12-Mev gamma rays emitted at the 669-kev ($p, \ensuremath{\gamma}$) resonance was measured and found to be isotropic to within two percent probable error.