0000000000542890
AUTHOR
R. R. C. Clement
Nuclear structure theory for the astrophysical rp-process and r-process
Abstract The astrophysical processes of rapid-proton capture and rapid-neutron capture require the knowledge of many nuclear properties which are not known from experiment. I will describe two examples of how theoretical models are used to provide this input. The first of these uses the Hartree-Fock method for displacement energies to obtain the masses of proton-rich nuclei needed for the rp-process. The second uses a model for configuration mixing near 132 Sn to provide Q values and beta-decay lifetimes for the r-process.
Half-Life of the Doubly Magicr-Process NucleusN78i
Nuclei with magic numbers serve as important benchmarks in nuclear theory. In addition, neutron-rich nuclei play an important role in the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process (r process). 78Ni is the only doubly magic nucleus that is also an important waiting point in the r process, and serves as a major bottleneck in the synthesis of heavier elements. The half-life of 78Ni has been experimentally deduced for the first time at the Coupled Cyclotron Facility of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University, and was found to be 110(+100)(-60) ms. In the same experiment, a first half-life was deduced for 77Ni of 128(+27)(-33) ms, and more precise half-li…