First In-Beam Demonstration of a hybrid LaBr3/CeBr3/BGO array to measure radiative capture resonance energies in an extended gas target using a novel time of flight technique

We have deployed a new hybrid array of LaBr3, CeBr3, and BGO scintillators for detecting $\gamma$ rays at the DRAGON recoil separator at TRIUMF. The array was developed to improve $\gamma$-ray timing resolution over the existing BGO array. This allows the average position of resonant capture in an extended gas target to be determined with $\sim$15 mm precision or better, even with five or fewer detected capture events. This, in turn, allows determination of resonant capture energies with statistical uncertainties below $\sim 1\mathrm{\%}$. Here we report the results of a first in-beam demonstration of the array, measuring the $E_{cm}=0.4906(3)$ MeV resonance in the ${}^{23}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{a}(p,\gamma ){}^{24}\mathrm{M}\mathrm{g}$ reaction, focusing on the timing properties of the array and its anticipated performance in future experiments with radioactive beams.