The $^{40}$Ca( $\alpha $,$\gamma $ )$^{44}$Ti Reaction Using DRAGON

$^{44}$Ti is one a handful of short lived nuclei believed to be a signature of explosive nucleosynthesis, a product of $\alpha $-rich freezeout following a core collapse supernova. To understand the production of 44Ti a key reaction, $^{40}$Ca( $\alpha $,$\gamma $ )$^{44}$Ti, has been studied in inverse kinematics using the DRAGON recoil separator located at ISAC/TRIUMF in Vancouver B.C. The coincidence detection of the recoils and $\gamma $-rays coupled with a time of flight technique provided an accurate determination of the excitation function over a range of beam energies of 0.6 -- 1.14 MeV/u. Direct measurement of the stopping power permitted an accurate measure of the stellar reaction rate. The excitation function hints towards previously undiscovered resonances and the new rate results in increased $^{44}$Ti production from supernovae judging from prompt $\gamma $-ray studies alone.