The Path to Improved Reaction Rates for Astrophysics

Abstract

This review focuses on nuclear reactions in astrophysics and, more specifically, on reactions with light ions (nucleons and alpha particles) proceeding via the strong interaction. It is intended to present the basic definitions essential for studies in nuclear astrophysics, to point out the differences between nuclear reactions taking place in stars and in a terrestrial laboratory, and to illustrate some of the challenges to be faced in theoretical and experimental studies of those reactions. The discussion revolves around the relevant quantities for astrophysics, which are the astrophysical reaction rates. The sensitivity of the reaction rates to the uncertainties in the prediction of various nuclear properties is explored and some guidelines for experimentalists are also provided.

100 pages, 33 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys. E (scheduled for February 2011 issue); the formatting here differs in that it includes a table of contents and numbered paragraphs 5.4.2.1-5.4.2.10; v2: updated references; v3: typos fixed; v4: final typo fix, content similar to published version)

References in corpus (22)

• The r-process of stellar nucleosynthesis: Astrophysics and nuclear physics achievements and mysteries
• The magic nature of 132Sn explored through the single-particle states of 133Sn
• Low-lying dipole response in the Relativistic Quasiparticle Time Blocking Approximation and its influence on neutron capture cross sections
• Photon data shed new light upon the GDR spreading width in heavy nuclei
• Alpha-induced cross sections of 106Cd for the astrophysical p-process
• Odd p isotope 113In: Measurement of alpha-induced reactions
• Relativistic RPA plus phonon-coupling analysis of pygmy dipole resonances
• Large-scale prediction of the parity distribution in the nuclear level density and application to astrophysical reaction rates
• Coulomb suppression of the stellar enhancement factor
• Survival of Nature's Rarest Isotope 180Ta under Stellar Conditions
• Alpha-induced reaction cross section measurements on 151Eu for the astrophysical gamma-process
• Predicted cross sections for photon-induced particle emission
• Cross section measurements of $\alpha$-induced reactions on ${}^{92,94}$Mo and ${}^{112}$Sn for $p$-process studies
• 70Ge(p,gamma)71As and 76Ge(p,n)76As cross sections for the astrophysical p process: sensitivity of the optical proton potential at low energies
• Experimental evidence for the separability of compound-nucleus and fragment properties in fission
• Dipole strength in 144Sm studied via (gamma,n), (gamma,p) and (gamma,alpha) reactions
• Quantum Statistical Corrections to Astrophysical Photodisintegration Rates
• Low-energy Dipole Excitations in Nuclei at the N=50,82 and Z=50 Shell Closures as Signatures for a Neutron Skin
• The energy dependence of the electric dipole strength in heavy nuclei
• Nuclear fusion in a dense plasma
• Astronomy with Radioactivities: Chapter 9, Nuclear Reactions
• Astrophysical Reaction Rates as a Challenge for Nuclear Reaction Theory

Cited by in corpus (80)

• Origin of the Heaviest Elements: the Rapid Neutron-Capture Process
• Constraining the astrophysical origin of the p-nuclei through nuclear physics and meteoritic data
• The Role of Fission in Neutron Star Mergers and its Impact on the r-Process Peaks
• Further explorations of the alpha-particle optical model potential at low energies for the mass range A=45-209
• Nucleosynthesis in Type I X-ray Bursts
• Sensitivity of astrophysical reaction rates to nuclear uncertainties
• The production of proton-rich isotopes beyond iron: The $\gamma$ process in stars
• Neutrino-nucleus reactions and their role for supernova dynamics and nucleosynthesis
• Have Superheavy Elements been Produced in Nature?
• Uncertainties in the production of $p$ nuclei in massive stars obtained from Monte Carlo variations
• Getting the most on supernova axions
• Determination of 141Pr(alpha,n)144Pm cross sections at energies of relevance for the astrophysical p-process using the gamma-gamma coincidence method
• Elastic alpha scattering experiments and the alpha-nucleus optical potential at low energies
• Approaching the Gamow window with stored ions: Direct measurement of ${}^{124}$Xe(p,$\gamma$) in the ESR storage ring
• Testing the role of SNe Ia for Galactic chemical evolution of p-nuclei with 2D models and with s-process seeds at different metallicities
• Opportunities to constrain astrophysical reaction rates for the s-process through determination of the ground state cross sections
• Probing the production of actinides under different r-process conditions
• Investigation of alpha-induced reactions on 130Ba and 132Ba and their importance for the synthesis of heavy p nuclei
• A global microscopic description of nucleon-nucleus scattering with quantified uncertainties
• Alpha induced reaction cross section measurements on 162Er for the astrophysical gamma process
• Following nuclei through nucleosynthesis: a novel tracing technique
• Challenges in nucleosynthesis of trans-iron elements
• Investigation of the reaction 74Ge(p,gamma)75As using the in-beam method to improve reaction network predictions for p nuclei
• Cross sections of $\alpha$-induced reactions for targets with masses $A\approx 20-50$ at low energies
• Relation between total cross sections from elastic scattering and alpha-induced reactions: the example of 64Zn
• Solution of the alpha-potential mystery in the gamma-process and its impact on the Nd/Sm ratio in meteorites
• Resonance Contribution to Radiative Neutron Capture on Lithium-7
• Cross sections for proton-induced reactions on Pd isotopes at energies relevant for the gamma process
• High precision ${}^{113}$In($\alpha ,\alpha$)${}^{113}$In elastic scattering at energies around the Coulomb barrier for the astrophysical $\gamma$ process
• Experimental cross sections of 165Ho(α,n)168Tm and 166Er(α,n)169Yb for optical potential studies relevant for the astrophysical γ-process
• Measurement of the 187Re(α,n)190Ir reaction cross section at sub-Coulomb energies using the Cologne Clover Counting Setup
• Measurements of ${}^{152}$Gd(p,$\gamma$)${}^{153}$Tb and ${}^{152}$Gd(p,n)${}^{152}$Tb reaction cross sections for the astrophysical $\gamma$ process
• Investigation of alpha-induced reactions on 127I for the astrophysical gamma process
• Cross section and reaction rate of 92Mo(p,gamma)93Tc determined from thick target yield measurements
• Astrophysical analysis of the measurement of (alpha,gamma) and (alpha,n) cross sections of 169Tm
• Test of statistical model cross section calculations for $\alpha$-induced reactions on ${}^{107}$Ag at energies of astrophysical interest
• Low Energy measurement of the ${}^{96}\mathrm{Zr}(\alpha ,n{)}^{99}\mathrm{Mo}$ reaction cross section and its impact on weak r-process nucleosynthesis
• Statistical model analysis of $\alpha$-induced reaction cross sections of ${}^{64}$Zn at low energies
• $\alpha$-scattering and $\alpha$-induced reaction cross sections of ${}^{64}$Zn at low energies
• Measurement of (alpha,n) reaction cross sections of erbium isotopes for testing astrophysical rate predictions
• alpha-induced reactions on 115In: cross section measurements and statistical model analysis
• Direct study of the alpha-nucleus optical potential at astrophysical energies using the 64Zn(p,alpha)61Cu reaction
• First Direct Measurement of an Astrophysical p-Process Reaction Cross Section Using a Radioactive Ion Beam
• Cross section of $\alpha$-induced reactions on iridium isotopes obtained from thick target yield measurement for the astrophysical $\gamma$ process
• KADoNiS-$p$: The astrophysical $p$-process database
• Experimental study of the astrophysical gamma-process reaction 124Xe(alpha,gamma)128Ba
• Cross section of $\alpha$-induced reactions on ${}^{197}$Au at sub-Coulomb energies
• Systematic study of (p,γ) reactions on Ni isotopes
• Total reaction cross sections from ${}^{141}$141Pr($\alpha$,$\alpha$)${}^{141}$Pr elastic scattering and $\alpha$-induced reaction cross sections at low energies
• Measurement of the ${}^{58}$Ni($\alpha$,$\gamma$)${}^{62}$Zn reaction and its astrophysical impact
• Feasibility of studying astrophysically important charged-particle emission with the variable energy $\gamma$-ray system at the Extreme Light Infrastructure -- Nuclear Physics facility
• Cross section for supernova axion observation in neutrino water Cherenkov detectors
• Study of the ${}^{22}$Mg waiting point relevant for x-ray burst nucleosynthesis via the ${}^{22}$Mg($\alpha$,$p$)${}^{25}$Al reaction
• The 106Cd(alpha,alpha)106Cd elastic scattering in a wide energy range for gamma-process studies
• Hybrid method to resolve the neutrino mass hierarchy by supernova (anti)neutrino induced reactions
• Cross section measurement of the 144Sm(alpha,n)147Gd reaction for studying the alpha-nucleus optical potential at astrophysical energies
• General properties of astrophysical reaction rates in explosive nucleosynthesis
• Photonuclear Reactions in Astrophysics
• Suppression of Excited-State Contributions to Stellar Reaction Rates
• Stellar neutron capture reactions at low and high temperature
• Cross Sections of the ${}^{83}$Rb(p,$\gamma {)}^{84}$Sr and ${}^{84}$Kr(p,$\gamma {)}^{85}$Rb Reactions at Energies Characteristic of the Astrophysical $\gamma$ Process
• First Proton-Induced Cross Sections on a Stored Rare Ion Beam: Measurement of 118Te(p,γ) for Explosive Nucleosynthesis
• Unexpected properties of the ${}^{33}$S($\alpha$,p)${}^{36}$Cl reaction cross section at low energies
• Measurement of the 91Zr(p,gamma)92mNb cross section motivated by type Ia supernova nucleosynthesis
• Measurement of the ${}^{18}$Ne($\alpha ,p$)${}^{21}$Na reaction with ANASEN at $E_{c.m.}=$ 2.5-4 MeV
• Cross sections at sub-Coulomb energies: full optical model vs.\ barrier transmission for ${}^{40}$Ca + $\alpha$
• Explosive Nucleosynthesis: What we learned and what we still do not understand
• Nuclear reactions in hot astrophysical plasmas with $T>10^{10}$ K
• Cross sections of $\alpha$-induced reactions slightly below doubly-magic ${}^{40}$Ca from the statistical model
• Origin of the p-Nuclei in Explosive Nucleosynthesis
• Abundance Uncertainties Obtained With the PizBuin Framework For Monte Carlo Reaction Rate Variations
• Nuclear Reactions For Nucleosynthesis Beyond Fe
• Nuclear Reactions in Evolving Stars
• Extension of the particle x-ray coincidence technique: The lifetimes and branching ratios apparatus
• Astronomy with Radioactivities: Chapter 9, Nuclear Reactions
• Monte Carlo variations as a tool to assess nuclear physics uncertainties in nucleosynthesis studies
• Quantification of nuclear uncertainties in nucleosynthesis of elements beyond Iron
• Theory Considerations For Nucleosynthesis Beyond Fe With Special Emphasis On p-Nuclei In Massive Stars
• Resolving neutrino mass hierarchy from supernova (anti)neutrino-nucleus reactions
• Astrophysical Reaction Rates for Charged-Particle Induced Reactions on Proton-Rich Nuclides