Related papers: LUNA: Status and Prospects
Within the first 20 minutes of the evolution of the hot, dense, early Universe, astrophysically interesting abundances of deuterium, helium-3, helium-4, and lithium-7 were synthesized by the cosmic nuclear reactor. The primordial abundances…
This talk provides a basic introduction for students interested in the responses of detectors to solar, supernova, and other low-energy neutrino sources. Some of the nuclear physics is then applied in a discussion of nucleosynthesis within…
The cosmic evolution of the chemical elements from the Big Bang to the present time is driven by nuclear fusion reactions inside stars and stellar explosions. A cycle of matter recurrently re-processes metal-enriched stellar ejecta into the…
The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay -- these mysteries at the forefront of particle…
We have studied the sensitivity of s-process nucleosynthesis in massive stars to +/- 2 sigma variations in the rates of the triple alpha and 12C(a,g)16O reactions. We simulated the evolution of massive stars from H-burning through Fe-core…
We give the LUNA results on the cross section measurement of a key reaction of the proton-proton chain strongly affecting the calculated neutrino luminosity from the Sun: He3+He3-->He4+2p. Due to the cosmic ray suppression provided by the…
MACRO experiment operated in the Gran Sasso underground laboratory. Neutrino events collected by this detector are used in order to study the atmospheric neutrino flux. Different measurements in different energy samples are in full…
We investigate the impact of the new LUNA rate for the nuclear reaction $^{22}$Ne$(p,\gamma)^{23}$Na on the chemical ejecta of intermediate-mass stars, with particular focus on the thermally-pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) stars…
In order to resolve the overproduction problem of 11B in supernova explosions during Galactic chemical evolution, the dependence of the ejected masses of the light elements produced through the nu-process in supernova explosions on…
Massive stars are crucial to galactic chemical evolution for elements heavier than iron. Their contribution at early times in the evolution of the Universe, however, is unclear due to poorly constrained nuclear reaction rates. The competing…
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…
I review the current status of neutrino astrophysics, including solar neutrinos; atmospheric neutrinos; neutrino mass and oscillations; supernova neutrinos; neutrino nucleosynthesis (Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the neutrino process, the…
The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe, the dynamics of the supernovae that produced the heavy elements necessary for life, and whether protons eventually decay -- these mysteries at the forefront of particle…
Low-mass stars ($M\lesssim 2\,M_\odot$) ignite helium under degenerate conditions, eventually causing a nuclear run-away -- the helium flash. The alpha-capture process on $^{14}$N produces a large amount of $^{18}$F, whose subsequent decay…
Precise nuclear reaction rates are needed for a detailed description of the production of elements in primordial nucleosynthesis and during the hydrostatic burning of stars to constrain the astrophysical models. The relevant reactions are…
Given that the macromolecular building blocks of life were likely produced photochemically in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light, we identify some general constraints on which stars produce sufficient UV for this photochemistry. We…
The core of a massive star (M > 8 Msun) eventually collapses. This implosion usually triggers a supernova (SN) explosion that ejects most of the stellar envelope and leaves behind a neutron star (NS) with a mass of up to about 2 Msun.…
Astrophysical gamma-ray spectroscopy is an invaluable tool for studying nuclear astrophysics, supernova structure, recent star formation in the Milky Way and mixing of nucleosynthesis products in the interstellar medium. After a short,…
The importance of nuclear reactions in low-density astrophysical plasmas with ion temperatures $T \geq 10^{10}$ K has been recognized for more than thirty years. However, the lack of comprehensive data banks of relevant nuclear reactions…
The last parameter of big-bang nucleosynthesis, the baryon density, is being pinned down by measurements of the deuterium abundance in high-redshift hydrogen clouds. When it is determined, it will fix the primeval light-element abundances.…