Thursday, May 8, 2014, 16:00
OSGA/E6
T Rauscher, U. of Hertfordshire
Abstract:
The origin of the intermediate and heavy elements beyond Fe has been a
long-standing, important question in astronomy and astrophysics, which
also impacts our understanding of galactic evolution and of the early
universe. Production of isotopes of these elements requires extreme
conditions only realized in explosive astrophysical sites. At least 3
nucleosynthesis processes are required which occur in a number of
different sites, ranging from repeated explosions in outer shells of
stars to supernova explosions. While some of these can be well
understood in terms of model simulations, especially supernova explosion
modelling still poses a considerable challenge. In consequence, the
natural production site of about 50% of all heavier isotopes remains
unknown. Central to the understanding of all the nucleosynthesis
processes are predictions of nuclear reaction rates involving unstable
nuclei, which takes current nuclear models to the limit. Investigations
in astrophysical and nuclear models, together with
various "observational" information (obtained from stellar spectra,
meteoritic inclusions, and nuclear experiments) comprise the pieces
which have to be put together to solve the puzzle of the origin of the
intermediate and heavy natural nuclides. It is an excellent example for
the multifaceted, interdisciplinary approaches required to understand
nucleosynthesis. I will provide selected examples of the challenges
faced with special emphasis on nuclear physics in supernova nucleosynthesis.