New direct measurement of the Li-6(p, gamma)Be-7 cross-section at LUNA

Li-6+p fusion reactions take part in primordial nucleosynthesis and in the early stages of stellar evolution, prior to the main sequence. While the Li-6(p,alpha)He-3 cross-section is relatively well known, the Li-6(p,gamma)Be-7 reaction is much debated, especially since a recent observation of a broad resonance at center-of-mass energy of 195 keV. Such resonance would correspond to an excited state of Be-7 which has neither been observed before, nor supported by theoretical models. In order to verify the existence of such resonance, a new study of the Li-6(p,gamma)Be-7 and Li-6(p,alpha)He-3 reactions was performed by the LUNA Collaboration at Gran Sasso National Laboratories. The present work provides an overview of the LUNA experiment and a description of the setup and measurement strategy adopted for the Li-6+p experimental campaign.