Related papers: Nucleosynthesis: what direct reactions can do for …
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…
The well-known astrophysical resonant reaction rate equations for an isolated narrow resonance have been reexamined. The validity of those `look reliable' assumptions used in deriving the analytic reaction rate equations has been checked,…
Nuclear reactions proceed differently in stellar plasmas than in the laboratory due to the thermal effects in the plasma. On one hand, a target nucleus is bombarded by projectiles distributed in energy with a distribution defined by the…
In experimental nuclear astrophysics it is common knowledge that reaction cross sections must be measured in the astrophysically relevant, low energy ranges or at least as close to them as possible. In most of the cases, however, it is…
Light radioactive nuclei play an important role in many astrophysical environments. Due to very low cross sections of some neutron and proton capture reactions by these radioactive nuclei at energies of astrophysical interest, direct…
Neutron-capture reactions provide essential nuclear-physics input for modeling the synthesis of heavy elements in stars. The growing precision of stellar spectroscopy and isotopic measurements in presolar SiC grains now demands cross…
Nuclear reaction cross sections are usually very small in typical astrophysical environments. It has been one of the major challenges of experimental nuclear astrophysics to assess the magnitude of these cross sections in the laboratory.…
Sensitivities of nuclear reaction rates to a variation of nuclear properties are studied. Target nuclei range from proton- to neutron-dripline for 10<=Z<=83. Reactions considered are nucleon- and alpha-induced reactions mediated by the…
The s-process in massive stars, producing nuclei up to $A\approx 90$, has a different behaviour at low metallicity if stellar rotation is significant. This enhanced s-process is distinct from the s-process in massive stars around solar…
A brief overview of the importance of photodisintegration reactions in astrophysical environments is given and the relevance of photonuclear experiments for nucleosynthesis studies is discussed.
An important ingredient for applications of nuclear physics to e.g. astrophysics or nuclear energy are the cross sections for reactions of neutrons with rare isotopes. Since direct measurements are often not possible, indirect methods like…
Since the expected rates for neutralino-nucleus scattering are expected to be small, one should exploit all the characteristic signatures of this reaction. Such are: (i) In the standard recoil measurements the modulation of the event rate…
We discuss the use of one-nucleon breakup reactions of loosely bound nuclei at intermediate energies as an indirect method in nuclear astrophysics. These are peripheral processes, therefore we can extract asymptotic normalization…
Fundamental differences in the prediction of reaction rates with intermediate and heavy target nuclei compared to the ones with light nuclei are discussed, with special emphasis on stellar modifications of the rates. Ground and excited…
Neutrons produced by the carbon fusion reaction 12C(12C,n)23Mg play an important role in stellar nucleosynthesis. However, past studies have shown large discrepancies between experimental data and theory, leading to an uncertain cross…
During the slow neutron capture process in massive stars, reactions on light elements can both produce and absorb neutrons thereby influencing the final heavy element abundances. At low metallicities, the high neutron capture rate of 16-O…
An important ingredient for applications of nuclear physics to e.g. astrophysics or nuclear energy are the cross sections for reactions of neutrons with rare isotopes. Since direct measurements are often not possible, indirect methods like…
We recall the basic physical principles governing the evolution of stars with some emphasis on the role played by the nuclear reactions. We argue that in general it is not possible from observations of stars to deduce constraints on the…
Nuclear astrophysics strives for a comprehensive picture of the nuclear reactions responsible for synthesizing the chemical elements and for powering the stellar evolution engine. Deep underground in the Gran Sasso laboratory the cross…
Stellar nucleosynthesis is the corner-stone of many astrophysical problems. Its understanding, which can be tested by countless observations, leads to insights into the stellar structure and evolution, and provides crucial clues to the…