Cross sections relevant to gamma-ray astronomy: Proton induced reactions

Gamma-ray production cross sections have been measured for the gamma-ray lines most strongly excited in the proton bombardment of ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$, ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}$, ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$, ${}_{}{}^{20}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Ne}$, ${}_{}{}^{24}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Mg}$, ${}_{}{}^{28}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Si}$, and ${}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Fe}$, for proton energies from threshold to 23 MeV. In addition, cross sections for the ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{}(p,n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ and ${}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Fe}\mathrm{}(p,n)\mathrm{}{}_{}{}^{56}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Co}$ reactions were determined from delayed gamma-ray yields. Ge(Li) detectors were used. Tabulations of cross sections averaged over proton energy bins of 1 MeV and over power law distributions in proton energy are provided for calculations relevant to gamma-ray line astronomy. Examples are given of astrophysical information which might be extracted from spectra acquired with gamma-ray spectrometers in space, using these cross sections, e.g., parameters describing the energy distribution of incident protons.