To understand X-ray burst light curves, it is important to understand the trigger reactions that transition the hot-CNO (HCNO) cycles to full explosive burning via the $\alpha p$ and $rp$ processes in these extreme astrophysical environments. One hypothesized breakout path is initiated through the ${}^{14}\mathrm{O}(\alpha ,p){}^{17}\mathrm{F}$ reaction that has long been speculated to proceed through an important resonance corresponding to a $1^{-}$ level at 6.15 MeV in ${}^{18}\mathrm{Ne}$. There are discrepant reports in the literature concerning the properties of this level, and therefore a new study of the ${}^{17}\mathrm{F}(p,p^{\prime }){}^{17}\mathrm{F}$* and ${}^{17}\mathrm{F}(p,p){}^{17}\mathrm{F}$ reactions in inverse kinematics was performed. Proton branching ratios populating both the ground and first excited states of ${}^{17}\mathrm{F}$ were found to be consistent with the latter of the two measurements.

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• Nuclear astrophysics