Constraints on theC12(α,γ)16O astrophysicalSfactor from the beta-delayed α emission ofN16

The E1 astrophysical S factor for the ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$(α,γ${)}^{16}$O reaction is studied using R-matrix theory. The constraints on this quantity from the α-particle spectrum following ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$ β decay are investigated with a set of pseudodata in an attempt to identify what additional information might be extracted from future measurements. The possibility of an experimental separation of the p- and f-wave α particles is discussed. Additional precise measurements of the β-delayed α particles at total center-of-mass energies near 1.0 MeV and the (α,γ) cross section at energies below and above previous measurements are particularly useful in constraining the S factor.