Study of astrophysically important resonant states in 30S using the 32S(p,t)30S reaction

A small fraction (< 1%) of presolar SiC grains is suggested to have been formed in the ejecta of classical novae. The P-29(p,gamma)S-30 reaction plays an important role in understanding the Si isotopic abundances in such grains, which in turn provide us with information on the nature of the probable white dwarf progenitor's core, as well as the peak temperatures achieved during nova outbursts, and thus the nova nucleosynthetic path. The P-29(p,gamma)S-30 reaction rate at nova temperatures is determined by two low-lying 3(+) and 2(+) resonances above the proton threshold at 4399 keV in S-30. Despite several experimental studies in the past, however, only one of these two states has only been observed very recently. We have studied the S-30 nuclear structure via the S-32(p,t)S-30 reaction at 5 laboratory angles between 9 degrees to 62 degrees. We have observed 14 states, eleven of which are above the proton threshold, including two levels at 4692.7 +/- 4.5 keV and 4813.8 +/- 3.4 keV that are candidates for the 3(+) and the previously "missing" 2(+) state, respectively.