Structure of ²²Mg and its implications for explosive nucleosynthesis

The locations of ¹⁸Ne+α resonances have been measured as excited states in ²²Mg using the ¹²C(¹⁶O,⁶He)²²Mg reaction. Eighteen new levels were discovered in the range 0<~E_c.m.<~3MeV above the ¹⁸Ne+α threshold. The ¹⁸Ne(α,p)²¹Na reaction rate in the temperature range 0.2<~T<~1.0GK has been calculated using the results from the present measurements, and the implications for nuclear burning in explosive stellar scenarios are discussed. This study also yielded energy-level information on low-lying ²¹Na+p resonances of importance to the ²¹Na(p,γ)²²Mg reaction, one of the key links in the NeNa cycles in novae.