Ebook: Nuclei in the Cosmos

Nuclear astrophysics as it stands today is a fascinating science. Even though, compared to other scientific fields, it is a young discipline which has developed only in this century, it has answered many questions concerning the under­ standing of our cosmos. One of these great achievements was the concept of nucleosynthesis, the creation of the elements in the early universe in interstellar matter and in stars. Nuclear astrophysics has continued, to solve many riddles of the evolution of the myriads of stars in our cosmos. This review volume attempts to provide an overview of the current status of nuclear astrophysics. Special emphasis is given to the interdisciplinary nature of the field: astronomy, nuclear physics, astrophysics and particle physics are equally involved. One basic effort of nuclear astrophysics is the collection of ob­ servational facts with astronomical methods. Laboratory studies of the nuclear processes involved in various astrophysical scenarios have provided fundamen­ tal information serving both as input for and test of astrophysical models. The theoretical understanding of nuclear reaction mechanisms is necessary, for example, to extrapolate the experimentally determined reaction rates to the thermonuclear energy range, which is relevant for the nuclear processes in our cosmos. Astrophysical models and calculations allow us to simulate how nuclear processes contribute to driving the evolution of stars, interstellar matter and the whole universe. Finally, elementary particle physics also plays an important role in the field of nuclear astrophysics, for instance through weak interaction processes involving neutrinos.

---

This review volume provides an overview of the current status of nuclear astrophysics. Experts in their respective fields provide in ten contributions detailed surveys of our understanding of different astrophysical environments and their connection to nuclear processes. Special emphasis is given to the interdisciplinar nature of the field: astronomy, nuclear physics, astrophysics and elementary particle physics are equally involved. The topics of the book range from the collection of observational facts with astronomical methods to experimental work and theoretical models to describe the nuclear processes involved in different astrophysical scenarios. Astrophysical models and calculations simulate how nuclear processes contribute to driving the evolution of stars, interstellar matter, and the whole universe.

---

This review volume provides an overview of the current status of nuclear astrophysics. Experts in their respective fields provide in ten contributions detailed surveys of our understanding of different astrophysical environments and their connection to nuclear processes. Special emphasis is given to the interdisciplinar nature of the field: astronomy, nuclear physics, astrophysics and elementary particle physics are equally involved. The topics of the book range from the collection of observational facts with astronomical methods to experimental work and theoretical models to describe the nuclear processes involved in different astrophysical scenarios. Astrophysical models and calculations simulate how nuclear processes contribute to driving the evolution of stars, interstellar matter, and the whole universe.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XII
Experimental Determination of Stellar Reaction Rates....Pages 1-7
Radioactive Ion Beams in Nuclear Astrophysics....Pages 9-27
Direct Reaction Mechanism in Astrophysically Relevant Processes....Pages 29-59
Nuclear Reaction Rates — from Laboratory Experiments and in the Stellar Plasma....Pages 61-88
Abundances in Galaxies....Pages 89-107
Nuclei in Cosmic Rays....Pages 109-125
Primordial Nucleosynthesis: Beyond the Standard Model....Pages 127-145
Production of Heavy Elements in Inhomogeneous Cosmologies....Pages 147-177
The s-Process: Branchings and Chronometers....Pages 179-198
Beta Decay Far from Stability and Double Beta Decay, and Consequences for Astrophysics....Pages 199-232
Back Matter....Pages 233-236

---

This review volume provides an overview of the current status of nuclear astrophysics. Experts in their respective fields provide in ten contributions detailed surveys of our understanding of different astrophysical environments and their connection to nuclear processes. Special emphasis is given to the interdisciplinar nature of the field: astronomy, nuclear physics, astrophysics and elementary particle physics are equally involved. The topics of the book range from the collection of observational facts with astronomical methods to experimental work and theoretical models to describe the nuclear processes involved in different astrophysical scenarios. Astrophysical models and calculations simulate how nuclear processes contribute to driving the evolution of stars, interstellar matter, and the whole universe.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-XII
Experimental Determination of Stellar Reaction Rates....Pages 1-7
Radioactive Ion Beams in Nuclear Astrophysics....Pages 9-27
Direct Reaction Mechanism in Astrophysically Relevant Processes....Pages 29-59
Nuclear Reaction Rates — from Laboratory Experiments and in the Stellar Plasma....Pages 61-88
Abundances in Galaxies....Pages 89-107
Nuclei in Cosmic Rays....Pages 109-125
Primordial Nucleosynthesis: Beyond the Standard Model....Pages 127-145
Production of Heavy Elements in Inhomogeneous Cosmologies....Pages 147-177
The s-Process: Branchings and Chronometers....Pages 179-198
Beta Decay Far from Stability and Double Beta Decay, and Consequences for Astrophysics....Pages 199-232
Back Matter....Pages 233-236
....