Nuclear Reactions for Astrophysics: Principles, Calculation and Applications of Low-Energy Reactions

Describing the processes in stars which produce the chemical elements for planets and life, this book shows how similar processes may be reproduced in laboratories using exotic beams, and how these results can be analyzed. Beginning with one-channel scattering theory, the book builds up to multi-channel reactions. Emphasis is placed on using transfer and breakup reactions to probe structure and predict capture processes, as well as R-matrix methods for modeling compound nucleus dynamics described by Hauser-Feshbach methods. Practical applications are prominent in this book, confronting theory predictions with data throughout. The associated reaction program Fresco is described, allowing readers to apply the methods to practical cases. Each chapter ends with exercises so readers can test their understanding of the materials covered. Supplementary materials at www.cambridge.org/9780521856355 include the Fresco program, input and output files for the examples given in the book, and hints and graphs related to the exercises.

1. Nuclei in the cosmos page; 2. Reactions of nuclei; 3. Scattering theory; 4. Reaction mechanisms; 5. Connecting structure with reactions; 6. Solving the equations; 7. Approximate solutions; 8. Breakup; 9. Three-body nuclei; 10. R-matrix phenomenology; 11. Compound nucleus averaging; 12. Stellar reaction rates and networks; 13. Connection to experiments; 14. Spectroscopy; 15. Fitting data; Appendixes; References; Index.