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An excitation function of the ground-state gamma (0)-ray capture transition in C-12(alpha, gamma)O-16 at theta (gamma) = 90 degrees was obtained in far geometry using six Ge detectors, where the study of the reaction was initiated in inverse kinematics involving a windowless gas target. The detectors observed predominantly the El capture amplitude. The data at E = 1.32 to 2.99 MeV lead to an extrapolated astrophysical S factor S-E1(E-0) = 90 +/- 15 keV b at E-0 = 0.3 MeV (for the case of constructive interference between the two lowest E1 sources), in good agreement with previous works. However, a novel Monte Carlo approach in the data extrapolation reveals systematic differences between the various data sets such that a combined analysis of all available data sets could produce a biased estimate of the S-E1(E-0) value. As a consequence, the case of destructive interference between the two lowest E1 sources with S-E1(E-0) = 8 +/- 3 keV b cannot be ruled out rigorously

A system with several lines for the preparation of graphite targets for radiocarbon analysis has been built at the new accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility in Caserta, Italy. Special attention has been paid in the design to the reduction of background contamination during sample preparation. Here, we describe the main characteristics of these preparation lines. Results of tests performed to measure 14C background levels and isotope fractionation in several blank samples with the Caserta AMS system are presented and discussed.