High-resolution determination of GT strength distributions relevant to the presupernova evolution using the (d, He-2) reaction

Spin-isospin excitations of the medium-mass nucleus Co-58 were studied using the (n, p)-type (d,He-2) charge-exchange reaction at an incident energy E-d = 170 MeV and small scattering angles. The achieved energy resolution of 130 keV, full width at half maximum, allowed the extraction of Gamow-Teller strength to 13 peaks at excitation energies lower than 4.1 MeV in the residual nucleus Co-58 and is consistent with the results of a multipole-decomposition analysis. The identification of Gamow-Teller transitions is possible by comparison of the measured cross sections with DWBA calculations. The results are used to discuss the relevance of the Gamow-Teller strength distribution at low excitation energy with regard to electron-capture rates used in calculations for the final stage of a massive star. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.