Nuclear Physics of StarsMost elements are synthesized, or "cooked", by thermonuclear reactions in stars. The newly formed elements are released into the interstellar medium during a star's lifetime, and are subsequently incorporated into a new generation of stars, into the planets that form around the stars, and into the life forms that originate on the planets. Moreover, the energy we depend on for life originates from nuclear reactions that occur at the center of the Sun. Synthesis of the elements and nuclear energy production in stars are the topics of nuclear astrophysics, which is the subject of this book. It presents nuclear structure and reactions, thermonuclear reaction rates, experimental nuclear methods, and nucleosynthesis in detail. These topics are discussed in a coherent way, enabling the reader to grasp their interconnections intuitively. The book serves both as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, with worked examples and end-of-chapter excercises, but also as a reference book for use by researchers working in the field of nuclear astrophysics. |
Contents
Aspects of Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics | 1 |
Problems | 71 |
Thermonuclear Reactions | 139 |
Nuclear Physics Experiments | 207 |
Nuclear Burning Stages and Processes | 349 |
Appendix A Solutions of the Schrödinger Equation in Three Dimensions | 569 |
Kinematics | 579 |
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Common terms and phrases
¹²C ³He a-particles abundance flow angular correlation Astrophys astrophysical atomic beam branching ratio charged-particle CNO cycles CNO1 core corresponding Coulomb barrier cross section decay constant depends detector E₁ elastic scattering electron capture emission emitted energy generation rate equilibrium evolution example excited explosive factor g/cm³ Gamow peak given helium burning hydrogen hydrogen burning Iliadis incident initial interaction isotopic located mass fraction mass number mean lifetime measured narrow resonance network calculation neutrino neutron excess Nucl nuclear reactions nuclei nucleon nucleosynthesis nuclides observed obtained partial widths particles photodisintegration Phys potential processes produced projectile proton Q-value quantity r-process radiation radioactive reaction rates region result S-factor shell shown in Figure silicon burning solar system solid line species spin ẞ-decay stopping power supernova target nuclei temperature and density thermal thermonuclear thickness tion total number transition type Ia supernovae values versus wave function white dwarf y-ray