Related papers: Nuclear correlations and the r-process
I discuss three open problems in astrophysics where nuclear physics can make important contributions: the solar abundance problem, dark matter particle detection, and the origin of the r-process elements.
The astrophysical origin of $r$-process nuclei remains a long-standing mystery. Although some astrophysical scenarios show some promise, many uncertainties involved in both the astrophysical conditions and in the nuclear properties far from…
We find constraints on heavy, stable, strongly interacting massive particles (X) from searches for anomalous nuclei containing them, formed during primordial nucleosynthesis. Using existing data, we obtain a limit on the abundance ratio…
Stars with a wide range of masses provide a variety of production sites for intermediate-to-heavy mass elements. Very massive stars with mass $\geq 8 M_{\odot}$ culminate their evolution by supernova explosions which are presumed to be the…
With the aim at quantitatively investigating the longstanding problem concerning the effect of short range nucleon-nucleon correlations on scattering processes at high energies, the total neutron-nucleus cross section is calculated within a…
The Dirac structure of the nucleon self-energy in symmetric nuclear matter as well as neutron matter is derived from a realistic meson exchange model for the nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction. It is demonstrated that the effects of…
In high-energy collisions, massive heavy quarks are produced back-to-back initially and they are sensitive to early dynamical conditions. The strong collective partonic wind from the fast expanding quark-gluon plasma created in high-energy…
We investigate $r$-process nucleosynthesis during the magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) explosion of supernova in a massive star of 13 $M_{\odot}$. Contrary to the case of the spherical explosion, jet-like explosion due to the combined effects of…
Coulomb screening and weak interactions in a hot, magnetized plasma are investigated. Coulomb screening is evaluated in a relativistic thermal plasma in which electrons and positrons are in equilibrium. In addition to temperature effects,…
Nuclear $\beta$ decay is a key element of the astrophysical rapid neutron capture process ($r$-process). In this paper, we present state-of-the-art global $\beta$-decay calculations based on the quantified relativistic nuclear energy…
During the merger of a black hole and a neutron star, baryonic mass can become unbound from the system. Because the ejected material is extremely neutron-rich, the r-process rapidly synthesizes heavy nuclides as the material expands and…
Incorporating microscopic nuclear-structure information into the discussion of bulk properties of astronomical objects such as neutron stars has always been a challenging issue in interdisciplinary nuclear astrophysics. Using the…
The bulk of the rare earth elements are believed to be synthesized in the rapid neutron capture process or $r$ process of nucleosynthesis. The solar $r$-process residuals show a small peak in the rare earths around $A\sim 160$, which is…
The r-process constitutes one of the major challenges in nuclear astrophysics. Its astrophysical site has not yet been identified but there is observational evidence suggesting that at least two possible sites should contribute to the solar…
We use network calculations of r-process nucleosynthesis to explore the origin of the peak in the solar r-process abundance distribution near nuclear mass number A = 160. The peak is due to a subtle interplay of nuclear deformation and beta…
We propose a phenomenological approach to examine the role of short- and long-range nucleon-nucleon correlations in the quenching of single-particle strength in atomic nuclei and their evolution in asymmetric nuclei and neutron matter.…
O-C shell mergers in massive stars are a site for producing the p nuclei by the $\gamma$ process, but 1D stellar models rely on mixing length theory, which does not match the radial velocity profiles of 3D hydrodynamic simulations. We…
The effects of magnetic interaction between vector mesons and nucleons on the propagation (mass and width) of the $\rho$-meson in particular moving through very dense nuclear matter is studied and the modifications, qualitative and…
The identification of the astrophysical site and the specific conditions in which r-process nucleosynthesis takes place remain unsolved mysteries of astrophysics. The present paper emphasizes some important future challenges faced by…
The $s$-process in massive stars produces the weak component of the $s$-process (nuclei up to $A \sim 90$), in amounts that match solar abundances. For heavier isotopes, such as barium, production through neutron capture is significantly…