Examination and experimental constraints of the stellar reaction rate factor N-A of the Ne-18(alpha, p)Na-21 reaction at temperatures of x-ray bursts

The Ne-18(alpha, p)Na-21 reaction is one key for the breakout from the hot CNO cycles to the rp-process. Recent papers have provided reaction rate factors N-A which are discrepant by at least one order of magnitude. The compatibility of the latest experimental results is tested, and a partial explanation for the discrepant N-A is given. A new rate factor is derived from the combined analysis of all available data. The new rate factor is located slightly below the higher rate factor found by Matic et al. [Phys. Rev. C 80, 055804 (2009)] at low temperatures and significantly below at higher temperatures whereas it is about a factor of 5 higher than the lower rate factor recently published by Salter et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 242701 (2012).].