Related papers: Introduction to Astronomy with Radioactivity
A necessary condition for the reliable modelling of the structure or evolution of the stars and of their concomitant nucleosynthesis is the availability of good quality nuclear data in a very wide area of the chart of nuclides. This short…
The nuclei fraction in cosmic rays (CR) far exceeds the fraction of other CR species, such as antiprotons, electrons, and positrons. Thus the majority of information obtained from CR studies is based on interpretation of isotopic abundances…
We observe photons and neutrinos from stars. Based on these observations, complemented by measurements of cosmic rays energies and composition, we have been able to constrain several models for the Big Bang and for stellar evolution. But…
The origins of the elements and isotopes of cosmic material is a critical aspect of understanding the evolution of the universe. Nucleosynthesis typically requires physical conditions of high temperatures and densities. These are found in…
I present both a history of radioactivity in astrophysics and an introduction to the major applications of radioactive abundances to astronomy.
Radioactivity is understood to be described by a Poisson process, yet some measurements of nuclear decays appear to exhibit unexpected variations. Generally, the isotopes reporting these variations have long half lives, which are plagued by…
For well over half a century, precision studies of neutron and nuclear $\beta$ decays have been at the forefront of searches for exotic electroweak physics. Recent advances in nuclear ab initio theory and the widespread use of effective…
In this review, we emphasize the interplay between astrophysical observations, modeling, and nuclear physics laboratory experiments. Several important nuclear cross sections for astrophysics have long been identified e.g.…
Nuclear astrophysics is that branch of astrophysics which helps understanding some of the many facets of the Universe through the knowledge of the microcosm of the atomic nucleus. In the last decades much advance has been made in nuclear…
Long-lived radioactive by-products of nucleosynthesis provide an opportunity to trace the flow of ejecta away from its sources for times beyond where ejecta can be seen otherwise. Gamma rays from such radioactive decay in interstellar space…
These lecture notes aim to provide an introduction to dark matter from the perspective of astrophysics/cosmology. We start with a rapid overview of cosmology, including the evolution of the Universe, its thermal history and structure…
Nuclear reactions generate energy in nuclear reactors, in stars, and are responsible for the existence of all elements heavier than hydrogen in the universe. Nuclear reactions denote reactions between nuclei, and between nuclei and other…
Meteorite studies have revealed the presence of short-lived radioactivities in the early solar system. The current data suggests that the origin of at least some of the radioactivities requires contribution from recent nucleosynthesis at a…
This review provides the necessary background from astrophysics, nuclear, and particle physics to understand the cosmic origin of the chemical elements. It reflects the year 2009 state of the art in this extremely quickly developing…
Properties of atomic nuclei important for the prediction of astrophysical reaction rates are reviewed. In the first part, a recent simulation of evolution and nucleosynthesis of stars between 15 and 25 solar masses is presented. This study…
Our Galaxy is the largest nuclear interaction experiment which we know, because of the interaction between cosmic ray particles and the interstellar material. Cosmic rays are particles, which have been accelerated in the Galaxy or in…
The "dark age" of the Universe is generally pointed out as the period between the recombination epoch and the horizon of current observations (z=5-6). The arrow of time in the cosmic history describes the progression from simplicity to…
Motivated by the possibility that the laws of physics could be different in other regions of space-time, we consider nuclear processes in universes where the weak interaction is either stronger or weaker than observed. We focus on the…
Modeling the evolution of the elements in the Milky Way is a multidisciplinary and challenging task. In addition to simulating the 13 billion years evolution of our Galaxy, chemical evolution simulations must keep track of the elements…
The analysis of correlations between fluctuations of alpha- and beta-decay rates for different radio-active elements is carried out. These fluctuations exceed significantly errors of measurements in many cases. They have the periodical…