Abstract
The production of 26Al in novae is uncertain, in part, because of the uncertain rate of the
25Al(p,g)26Si reaction at novae temperatures. This reaction is thought to be dominated by a longsought
3+ level in 26Si, and the calculated reaction rate varies by orders of magnitude depending
on the energy of this resonance. We present evidence concerning the spin of a level at 5.914
MeV in 26Si from the 28Si(p,t)26Si reaction studied at the Holifield Radioactive Beam Facility at
ORNL. We find that the angular distribution for this level implies either a 2+ or 3+ assignment,
with only a 3+ being consistent with the mirror nucleus, 26Mg. Additionally, we have used the
updated 25Al(p,g)26Si reaction rate in a nova nucleosynthesis calculation and have addressed the
effects of the remaining uncertainties in the rate on 26Al production.
