/i R/-matrix analysis of the /sup 14/N(p,/i gamma /) /sup 15/O astrophysical /i S/-factor

/sup 14/N(p,/i gamma /)/sup 15/O is the slowest reaction of the CNO cycle and thus it regulates stellar energy production, the flux of CNO neutrinos from the sun, and plays a role in determining the age of the globular clusters. We present /i R/-matrix fits of the capture data to the ground state, the 6.79 MeV and the 6.18 MeV states in /sup 15/O from two recent and independent direct measurements of the /sup 14/N(p,/i gamma /)/sup 15/O low-energy cross section, together with previous data. The results confirm that the rate of the /sup 14/N(p,/i gamma /)/sup 15 /O reaction is a factor of 2 lower than previously accepted for temperatures below 0.1 GK. The recommended astrophysical /i S/-factor at zero energy is /i S/(0)=1.70+/-0.07/sub stat/+/-0.10/sub sys/ keV-barn. These results could increase the age at the main-sequence turnoff by about 0.5-1 Gy, provided that all other astrophysical parameters are known. [All rights reserved Elsevier].