Filtering contaminants from a $\gamma$-sum spectrum: Measurement of the ${}_{94}\mathrm{Mo}(p,\gamma ){}_{95}\mathrm{Tc}$ cross section

A measurement of the ${}_{94}\mathrm{Mo}$($p,\gamma$)${}_{95}\mathrm{Tc}$ cross section was performed. The cross section was measured in the energy range $E_{c.m.}=1.5–4.5$ MeV, spanning essentially the entirety of the Gamow window relevant to the astrophysical $\gamma \mathrm{process}$. The $\gamma$-summing technique was used to analyze the data. At lower energies the sum peak overlapped with peaks from the reaction ${}_{19}F(p,\alpha \gamma ){}_{16}O$, so a new analysis method was developed to filter out the contamination from the this reaction. The measured cross section values were compared to the non-smoker database. The measured cross sections show enhanced resonancelike features at low energies, which are not predicted in the non-smoker code. The effects of this new measurement on the reaction rate were examined. It was found that there is a significant enhancement at lower temperatures in the ($p,\gamma$) reaction rate due to the enhancements found in the cross section.