Coulomb breakup is a very promising alternative method to the proton capture on radioactive ions, in order to extract gamma widths needed in astrophysics. A reanalysis of the Coulomb breakup experiments on ${}_{}{}^{14}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ shows one present weakness of the method and the need for further theoretical development of the formalism.

• Received 28 September 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.47.R14