Gamma-ray emission from novae related to positron annihilation:: Constraints on its observability posed by new experimental nuclear data

Classical novae emit gamma-ray radiation at 511 keV and below (with a cutoff at around 20-30 keV), related to positron annihilation and its Comptonization in the expanding envelope. This emission has been elusive up to now because it occurs at epochs well before the maximum in optical luminosity, but it could be detected by some sensitive instrument on board a satellite, provided that the nova is close enough and that it is observed at the right moment. The detection of this emission, which is a challenge for current and future gamma-ray instruments, would shed light into the physical processes that occur in the early phases of the explosion, which are invisible in other lower energy ranges. A good prediction of the emitted fluxes and of the corresponding detectability distances with different instruments relies critically on a good knowledge of reaction rates relevant to (18)F destruction, which have been subject to strong revision after recent nuclear spectroscopy measurements. With respect to previous results, smaller ejected masses of (18)F are predicted, leading to smaller emitted fluxes in the 20-511 keV range and shorter detectability distances.