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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
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DOE OSTI2024

Impact of the Li 6 asymptotic normalization constant onto α -induced reactions of astrophysical interest

Indirect methods have become the predominant approach in experimental nuclear astrophysics for studying several low-energy nuclear reactions occurring in stars, as direct measurements of many of these relevant reactions are rendered infeasible due to their low reaction probability. Such indirect methods, however, require theoretical input that in turn can have significant poorly quantified uncertainties, which can then be propagated to the reaction rates and have a large effect on our quantitative understanding of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis processes. Here we present two such examples involving α-induced reactions, 13 C (α,n)⁢ 16 O and 12 C (α,γ)⁢ 16 O, for which the low-energy cross sections have been constrained with ( 6 Li,d) transfer data. In this Letter, we discuss how a first-principle calculation of 6 Li leads to a 21% reduction of the 12 C⁡(α,γ) ⁢ 16 O cross sections with respect to a previous estimation. This calculation further resolves the discrepancy between recent measurements of the 13 C (α,n)⁢ 16 O reaction and points to the need for improved theoretical formulations of nuclear reactions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Overview of stellar nucleosynthesis in explosive environments and recent experimental highlights

Explosive stellar environments such as neutron star mergers, supernovae and X-ray bursts contribute significantly to the synthesis of many chemical elements known in the universe. Understanding the underlying explosion mechanisms and stellar conditions, as well as the observed signatures of chemical elements at a variety of these sites require a considerable effort from the nuclear physics community. An overview of several explosive stellar environments have been summarized, along with brief highlights of recent experimental efforts to better constrain the nucleosynthesis from these environments using recent advances of rare isotope beam facilities and measurement techniques.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Total absorption spectroscopy measurement on neutron-rich 74,75 Cu isotopes

This paper reports on the first β-decay study of 74,75 Cu isotopes using the technique of total absorption spectroscopy (TAS). The experiment was performed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University using the Summing NaI(Tl) (SuN) detector. The Cu isotopes are good candidates to probe the single-particle structure in the region because they have one proton outside the Z = 28 shell. Comparing the β-decay intensity distributions in the daughter Zn isotopes to the theoretical predictions provides a stringent test of the calculations. The nuclei in this region are also identified as playing an important role in the astrophysical r-process. Furthermore, the measured β-decay intensity distributions provide essential nuclear physics inputs required to better understand heavy element nucleosynthesis.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Chiral effective field theory calculation of neutrino reactions in warm neutron-rich matter

Neutrino scattering and absorption rates of relevance to supernovae and neutron star mergers are obtained from nuclear matter dynamical structure functions that encode many-body effects from nuclear mean fields and correlations. In this study, we employ nuclear interactions from chiral effective field theory to calculate the density, spin, isospin, and spin-isospin response functions of warm β-equilibrium nuclear matter. We include corrections to the single-particle energies in the mean field approximation as well as vertex corrections resummed in the random phase approximation (RPA), including both direct and exchange diagrams. We find that correlations included through the RPA redistribute the strength of the response to higher energy for neutrino absorption and lower energy for antineutrino absorption. This tends to suppress the absorption rate of electron neutrinos across all relevant energy scales. In contrast, the inclusion of RPA correlations enhances the electron antineutrino absorption rate at low energy and suppresses the rate at high energy. These effects are especially important at high-density and in the vicinity of the neutrino decoupling region. Implications for heavy element nucleosynthesis, electromagnetic signatures of compact object mergers, supernova dynamics, and neutrino detection from galactic supernovae are discussed briefly.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Measurement of 87 Rb( α , xn ) Cross Sections at Weak r -process Energies in Supernova ν -driven Ejecta to Investigate Elemental Abundances in Low-metallicity Stars

Observed abundances of Z ∼ 40 elements in metal-poor stars vary from star to star, indicating that the rapid and slow neutron capture processes may not contribute alone to the synthesis of elements beyond iron. The weak r-process was proposed to produce Z ∼ 40 elements in a subset of old stars. Thought to occur in the ν-driven ejecta of a core-collapse supernova, ( α, xn ) reactions would drive the nuclear flow toward heavier masses at T = 2−5 GK. However, current comparisons between modeled and observed yields do not bring satisfactory insights into the stellar environment, mainly due to the uncertainties of the nuclear physics inputs where the dispersion in a given reaction rate often exceeds 1 order of magnitude. Involved rates are calculated with the statistical model where the choice of an α -optical-model potential ( α OMP) leads to such a poor precision. The first experiment on 87 Rb( α, xn ) reactions at weak r -process energies is reported here. Total inclusive cross sections were assessed at E c.m. = 8.1−13 MeV (3.7−7.6 GK) with the active target MUlti-Sampling Ionization Chamber. With an N = 50 seed nucleus, the measured values agree with statistical model estimates using the α OMP Atomki-V2. A reevaluated reaction rate was incorporated into new nucleosynthesis calculations, focusing on ν-driven ejecta conditions known to be sensitive to this specific rate. These conditions were found to fail to reproduce the lighter heavy element abundances in metal-poor stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Impact of in situ nuclear networks and atomic opacities on neutron star merger ejecta dynamics, nucleosynthesis, and kilonovae

Context. Binary neutron star merger (BNSM) ejecta are key sites of rapid neutron capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis and they produce kilonovae powered by the radioactive decay of freshly synthesized nuclei. Modeling their evolution requires multi-physics simulations involving hydrodynamics, nuclear reactions, and radiative processes. The impact of nuclear burning and atomic opacity is poorly understood and often treated with simplified prescriptions. Aims. We systematically investigate different treatments of nuclear heating, particle thermalization, and atomic opacities in radiation-hydrodynamics simulations of BNSM ejecta and kilonova light curves. Methods. Ejecta profiles from long-term numerical-relativity simulations of asymmetric neutron star binaries with a massive neutron star remnant were evolved to ∼30 days using a 2D ray-by-ray approach. We compared simplified heating-rate and thermalization prescriptions with in situ Nuclear reaction Network (NN) calculations that track nuclear energy deposition and include a composition-dependent thermalization scheme. We also contrasted various gray opacity models with a frequency-dependent treatment based on atomic calculations. Results. Coupling NN and hydrodynamics significantly affects nucleosynthesis and kilonova emission. Assuming homologous expansion alters abundance evolution and produces a narrower, less populated second r-process peak and a third peak shifted to higher mass numbers. The back-reaction of nuclear heating affects the temperature evolution enough to delay and redden the early (t∼ hours) kilonova peaks. A constant thermalization efficiency underestimates and reddens the early emission while overestimating the late-time luminosity compared to the composition-dependent treatment. Analytical opacity prescriptions yield a more extended, colder photosphere, resulting in dimmer, redder kilonovae at early times (t≲ hour), while the delayed recession of the photosphere prolongs the red emission at t ≳ 5 days. Conclusions. Coupling hydrodynamics to an in situ NN is crucial for reliable nucleosynthesis and kilonova predictions. Resolving the first several hundred milliseconds of the hydrodynamics is essential for robust nucleosynthesis calculations. Composition-dependent thermalization and frequency-dependent, atomic-physics-based opacities are needed to accurately capture the temperature evolution of the ejecta and the brightness and color evolution of the kilonova. Calibrated analytic nuclear-power fits with simplified thermalization and opacity prescriptions can still reproduce the density and temperature evolution of the ejecta.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

The radioactive nuclei 26 Al and 60 Fe in the Cosmos and in the solar system

The cosmic evolution of the chemical elements from the Big Bang to the present time is driven by nuclear fusion reactions inside stars and stellar explosions. A cycle of matter recurrently re-processes metal-enriched stellar ejecta into the next generation of stars. The study of cosmic nucleosynthesis and this matter cycle requires the understanding of the physics of nuclear reactions, of the conditions at which the nuclear reactions are activated inside the stars and stellar explosions, of the stellar ejection mechanisms through winds and explosions, and of the transport of the ejecta towards the next cycle, from hot plasma to cold, star-forming gas. Due to the long timescales of stellar evolution, and because of the infrequent occurrence of stellar explosions, observational studies are challenging, as they have biases in time and space as well as different sensitivities related to the various astronomical methods. Here, we describe in detail the astrophysical and nuclear-physical processes involved in creating two radioactive isotopes useful in such studies, 26 Al and 60 Fe. Due to their radioactive lifetime of the order of a million years, these isotopes are suitable to characterise simultaneously the processes of nuclear fusion reactions and of interstellar transport. We describe and discuss the nuclear reactions involved in the production and destruction of 26 Al and 60 Fe, the key characteristics of the stellar sites of their nucleosynthesis and their interstellar journey after ejection from the nucleosynthesis sites. This allows us to connect the theoretical astrophysical aspects to the variety of astronomical messengers presented here, from stardust and cosmic-ray composition measurements, through observation of γ rays produced by radioactivity, to material deposited in deep-sea ocean crusts and to the inferred composition of the first solids that have formed in the Solar System. We show that considering measurements of the isotopic ratio of 26 Al to 60 Fe eliminate some of the unknowns when interpreting astronomical results, and discuss the lessons learned from these two isotopes on cosmic chemical evolution. This review paper has emerged from an ISSI-BJ Team project in 2017–2019, bringing together nuclear physicists, astronomers, and astrophysicists in this inter-disciplinary discussion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nuclear Uncertainties Associated with the Nucleosynthesis in Ejecta of a Black Hole Accretion Disk

Abstract The simulation of heavy element nucleosynthesis requires input from yet-to-be-measured nuclear properties. The uncertainty in the values of these off-stability nuclear properties propagates to uncertainties in the predictions of elemental and isotopic abundances. However, for any given astrophysical explosion, there are many different trajectories, i.e., temperature and density histories, experienced by outflowing material, and thus different nuclear properties can come into play. We consider combined nucleosynthesis results from 460,000 trajectories from a black hole accretion disk and find the spread in elemental predictions due solely to unknown nuclear properties to be a factor of a few. We analyze this relative spread in model predictions due to nuclear variations and conclude that the uncertainties can be attributed to a combination of properties in a given region of the abundance pattern. We calculate a cross-correlation between mass changes and abundance changes to show how variations among the properties of participating nuclei may be explored. Our results provide further impetus for measurements of multiple quantities on individual short-lived neutron-rich isotopes at modern experimental facilities.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Determination of Solar System R-Process Abundances using ENDF/B-VIII.0 and TENDL-2015 libraries

Recent multi-messenger detection of the binary neutron star merger (GW170817) energized the astrophysical community and encouraged further research for determination of nuclear physics observables. Comprehensive studies of atomic nuclei in the cosmos provide an opportunity for investigating these astrophysical phenomena and acquiring complementary information on stellar nucleosynthesis processes that can be verified using the latest nuclear data. Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) libraries contain complete collections of reaction cross sections over the energy range relevant to astrophysics, fission yields and decay data. These data collections have been used worldwide in nuclear science, industry and national security applications. There is great interest in exploring the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and TALYS Evaluated Nuclear Data Library (TENDL-2015) for nuclear astrophysics purposes and comparing findings with the Karlsruhe Astrophysical Database of Nucleosynthesis in Stars (KADoNiS). The Maxwellian-averaged cross sections (MACS) and astrophysical reaction rates have been calculated using the ENDF/B-VIII.0 and TENDL-2015 evaluated data sets. The calculated cross sections were combined with the solar system abundances and fitted using the classical model of stellar nucleosynthesis. Astrophysical rapid- and slow-neutron capture, r- and s-process, respectively, abundances were obtained from present data and compared with available values. Further analysis of MACS reveals potential evaluated libraries data deficiencies and a strong need for new measurements. The current results demonstrate a large nuclear astrophysics potential of evaluated libraries and mutually beneficial relations between nuclear industry and research e orts.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Coupling between collective modes in the deformed 98 Zr nucleus: Insights from consistent HFB + QRPA calculations with the Gogny interaction

The zirconium isotopes exhibit structural properties that present multiple challenges to nuclear theory. Investigations of the coupling present within isoscalar modes and within isovector modes are scarce but important for advancing our understanding of the microscopic picture of nuclei. To explore some of these underlying coupling features, and to test the predictive power of a state-of-the-art nuclear structure approach, we provide a detailed analysis of the properties of 90,96,98 Zr . This region includes a benchmarking case and offers insights into nuclear deformation phenomena. Here, to investigate the coupling between collective modes in deformed nuclei, we focused our analysis on the ground and excited-state properties of these isotopes, employing a consistent approach with the axially symmetric deformed Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) and the quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) framework, both using the Gogny D1M force. This approach effectively describes both low-lying and giant-resonance states. We devoted special attention to the deformed 98 Zr nucleus, where we confirm the existence of coupling between monopole and quadrupole excitations through the 𝐾 𝜋 = 0 + QRPA components and demonstrate an analogous dipole-octupole coupling through the 𝐾 𝜋 = 0 − and 𝐾 𝜋 = 1 − components. Intrinsic transition densities and associated radial projections illustrate the coupling. Our work complements and extends earlier studies carried out using density-functional-based methods and notably, we included the complete Coulomb interaction also in the pairing fields, i.e., we treat terms exactly that are approximated in typical calculations that use the Gogny D1 and D2 interaction families.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

The upgraded summing NaI(Tl) (SuN++) absorption spectrometer

Simulations of astrophysical processes require a plethora of nuclear physics input. In particular, models of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis like the s, i, and r processes require β-decay information and experimentally constrained neutron-capture reaction rates. Past experiments with the 4π Summing NaI(Tl) (SuN) total absorption spectrometer have provided these physics quantities. Here, we outline an upgrade of SuN to SuN++, where 20 new segments (12 NaI(Tl) and 8 CeBr 3 ) have been integrated into the pre-existing SuN total absorption spectrometer to provide increased energy and time resolution in β-decay experiments. The details of the newly upgraded SuN++ total absorption spectrometer are discussed with results from the commissioning experiment at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) utilizing a 70 Cu beam.

CeBr3↗
DOE OSTI2020

2 H(p,γ) 3 He cross section measurement using high-energy-density plasmas

An absolute cross section for the radiative capture reaction 2 H(p,γ) 3 He has been measured at the OMEGA laser facility using inertially confined plasmas. These high-temperature plasmas are created by imploding a fuel-containing capsule using laser ablation, and are advantageous in that they better mimic astrophysical systems. We measure an S factor for this reaction of 0.429 ± 0.026 stat ± 0.072 sys eV b at E c.m . = 16.35 ± 0.40 keV, which is higher than the adopted evaluations. Furthermore, this reaction is important as a source of nuclear energy in protostars and brown dwarfs. It is also a critical reaction during big-bang nucleosynthesis, and an accurate cross section can be used as a constraint on cosmology.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Thermonuclear Reaction Rates and Primordial Nucleosynthesis

Assuming the best numerical value for the cosmic baryonic density and the existence of three neutrino flavors, standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis is a parameter-free model. It is important to assess if the observed primordial abundances can be reproduced by simulations. Numerous studies have shown that the simulations overpredict the primordial 7 Li abundance by a factor of ≈3 compared to the observations. The discrepancy may be caused by unknown systematics in 7 Li observations, poorly understood depletion of lithium in stars, errors in thermonuclear rates that take part in the lithium and beryllium synthesis, or physics beyond the standard model. Here, we focus on the likelihood of a nuclear physics solution. The status of the key nuclear reaction rates is summarized. Big Bang nucleosynthesis simulations are performed with the most recent reaction rates, and the uncertainties of the predicted abundances are established using a Monte Carlo technique. Correlations between abundances and reaction rates are investigated based on the metric of mutual information. The rates of four reactions impact the primordial 7 Li abundance: 3 He(α,γ) 7 Be, d(p,γ) 3 He, 7 Be(d,p)2α, and 7 Be(n,p) 7 Li. We employ a genetic algorithm to search for simultaneous rate changes in these four reactions that may account for all observed primordial abundances. Furthermore, when the search is performed for reaction rate ranges that are much wider than recently reported uncertainties, no acceptable solutions are found. Based on the currently available evidence, we conclude that it is highly unlikely for the cosmological lithium problem to have a nuclear physics solution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

β-decay feeding intensity distributions of 71,73 Ni

This paper presents the β-decay feeding intensity distribution and Gamow-Teller transition strength distribution of 71,73 Ni. These quantities were measured using the technique of total absorption spectroscopy at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory with the Summing NaI(Tl) detector. These measurements provide sensitive constraints to theoretical models used to predict β-decay properties far from stability for astrophysical applications. Specifically, for the astrophysical r process, the majority of the involved nuclei are not accessible by current facilities, and the nuclear input is mainly provided by theory. Furthermore, the present work reports on two neutron-rich nickel isotopes in the region where the weak r process is expected to be relevant in stellar nucleosynthesis. The experimental results are compared to two theoretical models, namely the shell model and the quasiparticle random-phase approximation, to help further refine theoretical calculations and aid in future r-process studies.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mass measurements of neutron-rich gallium isotopes refine production of nuclei of the first r -process abundance peak in neutron-star merger calculations

We report mass measurements of neutron-rich Ga isotopes 80–85 Ga with TRIUMF's Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear science. The measurements determine the masses of 80–83 Ga in good agreement with previous measurements. Here, the masses of 84 Ga and 85 Ga were measured for the first time. Uncertainties between 25 and 48 keV were reached. The new mass values reduce the nuclear uncertainties associated with the production of A ≈ 84 isotopes by the r-process for astrophysical conditions that might be consistent with a binary neutron star (BNS) merger producing a blue kilonova. Our nucleosynthesis simulations confirm that BNS merger may contribute to the first abundance peak under moderate neutron-rich conditions with electron fractions Y e = 0.35–0.38.

59 ≤ A ≤ 89↗
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of moment-based, energy integrated neutrino transport on microphysics and ejecta in binary neutron star mergers

We present an extensive study of the effects of neutrino transport in three-dimensional general relativistic radiation hydrodynamics (GRHD) simulations of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers using our moment-based, energy-integrated neutrino radiation transport (M1) scheme. Here, we consider a total of eight BNS configurations, while varying equation of state models, mass ratios, and grid resolutions, for a total of 16 simulations. We find that M1 neutrino transport is crucial in modeling the local absorption of neutrinos and the deposition of lepton number throughout the medium. We provide an in-depth look at the effects of neutrinos on the fluid dynamics and luminosity during the late inspiral and postmerger phases, the properties of ejecta and outflow, and the postmerger nucleosynthesis. The simulations presented in this work comprise an extensive study of the combined effect of the equation of state and M1 neutrino transport in GRHD simulations of BNS mergers, and establish that the solution provided by our M1 scheme is robust across system properties.

150 ≤ A ≤ 18959 ≤ A ≤ 8990 ≤ A ≤ 149↗