Related papers: Nuclear Structure Studies of Neutron-Rich Nuclei :…
The focus of the present review is the production of the heaviest elements in nature via the r-process. A correct understanding and modeling requires the knowledge of nuclear properties far from stability and a detailed prescription of the…
Current models for the $r$ process are summarized with an emphasis on the key constraints from both nuclear physics measurements and astronomical observations. In particular, we analyze the importance of nuclear physics input such as…
The astrophysical rapid neutron capture process or `$r$ process' of nucleosynthesis is believed to be responsible for the production of approximately half the heavy element abundances found in nature. This multifaceted problem remains one…
We review the impact of nuclear forces on matter at neutron-rich extremes. Recent results have shown that neutron-rich nuclei become increasingly sensitive to three-nucleon forces, which are at the forefront of theoretical developments…
The relationship among nuclear structure, the weak processes in nuclei, and astrophysics becomes quite apparent in supernova explosion and nucleosynthesis studies. In this brief article, I report on progress made in the last few years on…
About half of the heavy elements in the Solar System were created by rapid neutron capture, or r-process, nucleosynthesis. In the r-process, heavy elements are built up via a sequence of neutron captures and beta decays in which an intense…
Several nuclear physics issues essential to understanding the r-process are discussed. These include validity of the waiting-point approximation, strength of closed neutron shells in neutron-rich nuclei far from stability, and effects of…
Nuclear masses play a fundamental role in understanding how the heaviest elements in the Universe are created in the $r$-process. We predict $r$-process nucleosynthesis yields using neutron capture and photodissociation rates that are based…
We investigate the impact of the model estimating the masses of exotic nuclei on r-process nucleosynthesis, assessing the dependence of the abundance distribution on the specific properties of nuclear masses. By decomposing theoretical…
We present nucleosynthesis studies based on hydrodynamical simulations of core-collapse supernovae and their subsequent neutrino-driven winds. Although the conditions found in these simulations are not suitable for the rapid neutron capture…
In rapid neutron capture, or r-process, nucleosynthesis, heavy elements are built up via a sequence of neutron captures and beta decays that involves thousands of nuclei far from stability. Though we understand the basics of how the…
The impact of nuclear physics on astrophysical r-process models is discussed, emphasizing the importance of beta-decay properties of neutron-rich nuclei. Several r-process motivated beta-decay experiments performed at the National…
The role of three-nucleon forces (3NF) in the description of nuclear structure properties is nowadays a main topic in the field of microscopic many-nucleon calculations. We investigate the relative weight between effective two- and…
The rapid neutron nucleosynthesis process involves an enormous amount of very exotic neutron-rich nuclei, which represent a theoretical and experimental challenge. Two of the main decay properties that affect the final abundance…
Nuclear physics has a long and productive history of application to astrophysics which continues today. Advances in the accuracy and breadth of astrophysical data and theory drive the need for better experimental and theoretical…
Nuclear masses are one of the key ingredients of nuclear physics that go into astrophysical simulations of the $r$ process. Nuclear masses effect $r$-process abundances by entering into calculations of Q-values, neutron capture rates,…
Theoretical predictions and experimental discoveries for neutron-rich, short-lived nuclei far from stability indicate that the familiar concept of nucleonic shell structure should be considered as less robust than previously thought. The…
The properties of nuclei embedded in an electron gas are studied within the relativistic mean-field approach. These studies are relevant for nuclear properties in astrophysical environments such as neutron-star crusts and supernova…
Progress in the astrophysical understanding of r-process nucleosynthesis also depends on the knowledge of nuclear-physics quantities of extremely neutron-rich isotopes. In this context, experiments at CERN-ISOLDE have played a pioneering…
Based on a simple site-independent approach, we attempt to reproduce the solar $r$-process abundance with four nuclear mass models, and investigate the impact of the nuclear mass uncertainties on the $r$ process. In this paper, we first…