Abstract
Galactic <sup>26</sup>Al is the first radioactive nucleus to be positively identified by γ -ray astronomy with detection of the 1.809 MeV γ ray associated with its decay. This nucleus is destroyed in astrophysical environments in the <sup>26</sup>Al(p,γ )<sup>27</sup>Si and inelastic <sup>26</sup>Al+p scattering reactions where properties of <sup>27</sup>Si levels determine reaction rates. To investigate these properties, elastic and inelastic 26Al+p scattering reactions were measured between E<sub>c.m.</sub> = 0.5–1.5 MeV at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at 91°µÍø (ORNL). A candidate for a new resonance in the 26Al(p,γ )27Si reaction was identified. Upper limits were also set on the strengths of postulated resonances and on the cross section of the inelastic reaction, but there is little effect on current reaction rate calculations.
