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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 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Study of ablation and implosion stages in wire arrays using coupled ultraviolet and X-ray probing diagnostics

Star and cylindrical wire arrays were studied using laser probing and X-ray radiography at the 1-MA Zebra pulse power generator at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Leopard laser provided backlighting, producing a laser plasma from a Si target which emitted an X-ray probing pulse at the wavelength of 6.65 Å. A spherically bent quartz crystal imaged the backlit wires onto X-ray film. Laser probing diagnostics at the wavelength of 266 nm included a 3-channel polarimeter for Faraday rotation diagnostic and two-frame laser interferometry with two shearing interferometers to study the evolution of the plasma electron density at the ablation and implosion stages. Dynamics of the plasma density profile in Al wire arrays at the ablation stage were directly studied with interferometry, and expansion of wire cores was measured with X-ray radiography. The magnetic field in the imploding plasma was measured with the Faraday rotation diagnostic, and current was reconstructed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

The structure and statistics of interstellar turbulence

We explore the structure and statistics of multiphase, magnetized ISM turbulence in the local Milky Way by means of driven periodic box numerical MHD simulations. Using the higher order-accurate piecewise-parabolic method on a local stencil (PPML), we carry out a small parameter survey varying the mean magnetic field strength and density while fixing the rms velocity to observed values. We quantify numerous characteristics of the transient and steady-state turbulence, including its thermodynamics and phase structure, kinetic and magnetic energy power spectra, structure functions, and distribution functions of density, column density, pressure, and magnetic field strength. The simulations reproduce many observables of the local ISM, including molecular clouds, such as the ratio of turbulent to mean magnetic field at 100 pc scale, the mass and volume fractions of thermally stable Hi, the lognormal distribution of column densities, the mass-weighted distribution of thermal pressure, and the linewidth-size relationship for molecular clouds. Our models predict the shape of magnetic field probability density functions (PDFs), which are strongly non-Gaussian, and the relative alignment of magnetic field and density structures. Finally, our models show how the observed low rates of star formation per free-fall time are controlled by the multiphase thermodynamics and large-scale turbulence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

HERSCHEL FINDS EVIDENCE FOR STELLAR WIND PARTICLES IN A PROTOSTELLAR ENVELOPE: IS THIS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUNG SUN?

There is evidence that the young Sun emitted a high flux of energetic (≥10 MeV) particles. The collisions of these particles with the material at the inner edge of the Protosolar Nebula disk induced spallation reactions that formed short-lived radionuclei, like {sup 10}Be, whose trace is now visible in some meteorites. However, it is poorly known exactly when this happened, and whether and how it affected the solar system. Here, we present indirect evidence for an ejection of energetic particles in the young protostar, OMC-2 FIR 4, similar to that experienced by the young solar system. In this case, the energetic particles collide with the material in the protostellar envelope, enhancing the abundance of two molecular ions, HCO{sup +} and N{sub 2}H{sup +}, whose presence is detected via Herschel observations. The flux of energetic particles at a distance of 1 AU from the emitting source, estimated from the measured abundance ratio of HCO{sup +} and N{sub 2}H{sup +}, can easily account for the irradiation required by meteoritic observations. These new observations demonstrate that the ejection of ≥10 MeV particles is a phenomenon occurring very early in the life of a protostar, before the disappearance of the envelope from which the future star accretes. The whole envelope is affected by the event, which sets constraints on the magnetic field geometry in the source and opens up the possibility that the spallation reactions are not limited to the inner edge of the Protosolar Nebula disk.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

GRB 170817A Associated with GW170817: Multi-frequency Observations and Modeling of Prompt Gamma-Ray Emission

We introduce our observations of electromagnetic transients associated with GW170817/GRB 170817A using optical telescopes of Chilescope observatory and Big Scanning Antenna (BSA) of Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory at 110 MHz. The Chilescope observatory detected an optical transient of ~19 m on the third day in the outskirts of the galaxy NGC 4993; we continued observations following its rapid decrease. We put an upper limit of 1.5 × 10 4 Jy on any radio source with a duration of 10–60 s, which may be associated with GW170817/GRB 170817A. The prompt gamma-ray emission consists of two distinctive components—a hard short pulse delayed by ~2 s with respect to the LIGO signal and softer thermal pulse with T ~ 10 keV lasting for another ~2 s. The appearance of a thermal component at the end of the burst is unusual for short GRBs. Both the hard and the soft components do not satisfy the Amati relation, making GRB 170817A distinctively different from other short GRBs. Based on gamma-ray and optical observations, we determine a model for the prompt high-energy emission associated with GRB 170817A. The merger of two neutron stars creates an accretion torus of ~10 –2 M ⊙ , which supplies the black hole with magnetic flux and confines the Blandford–Znajek-powered jet. We associate the hard prompt spike with the quasispherical breakout of the jet from the disk wind. As the jet plows through the wind with subrelativistic velocity, it creates a radiation-dominated shock that heats the wind material to tens of kiloelectron volts, producing the soft thermal component.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

EVIDENCE OF HOT HIGH VELOCITY PHOTOIONIZED PLASMA FALLING ON ACTIVELY ACCRETING T TAURI STARS

The He II (1640 Å) line and the resonance doublet of N V (UV1) provide a good diagnostic tool to constrain the excitation mechanism of hot (T{sub e} > 40,000 K) atmospheric/magnetospheric plasmas in T Tauri stars (TTSs). Making use of the data available in the Hubble Space Telescope archive, this work shows that there are at least two distinct physical components contributing to the radiation in these tracers: the accretion flow sliding on the magnetosphere and the atmosphere. The N V profiles in most sources are symmetric and at rest with respect to the star. The velocity dispersion of the profile increases from non-accreting (σ = 40 km s{sup –1}) to accreting (σ = 120 km s{sup –1}) TTSs, suggesting that the macroturbulence field in the line formation region decreases as the stars approach the main sequence. Evidence of the N V line being formed in a hot solar-like wind has been found in RW Aur, HN Tau, and AA Tau. The He II profile has a strong narrow component that dominates the line flux; the dispersion of this component ranges from 20 to 60 km s{sup –1}. Current data suggest that both accretion shocks and atmospheric emission might contribute to the line flux. In some sources, the He II line shows a broad and redward-shifted emission component often accompanied by semiforbidden O III] emission that has a critical electron density of ∼3.4 × 10{sup 10} cm{sup 3}. In spite of their different origins (inferred from the kinematics of the line formation region), N V and He II fluxes are strongly correlated, with only the possible exception of some of the heaviest accretors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

TADPOL: A 1.3 mm SURVEY OF DUST POLARIZATION IN STAR-FORMING CORES AND REGIONS

We present λ 1.3 mm Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy observations of dust polarization toward 30 star-forming cores and eight star-forming regions from the TADPOL survey. We show maps of all sources, and compare the ∼2.''5 resolution TADPOL maps with ∼20'' resolution polarization maps from single-dish submillimeter telescopes. Here we do not attempt to interpret the detailed B-field morphology of each object. Rather, we use average B-field orientations to derive conclusions in a statistical sense from the ensemble of sources, bearing in mind that these average orientations can be quite uncertain. We discuss three main findings. (1) A subset of the sources have consistent magnetic field (B-field) orientations between large (∼20'') and small (∼2.''5) scales. Those same sources also tend to have higher fractional polarizations than the sources with inconsistent large-to-small-scale fields. We interpret this to mean that in at least some cases B-fields play a role in regulating the infall of material all the way down to the ∼1000 AU scales of protostellar envelopes. (2) Outflows appear to be randomly aligned with B-fields; although, in sources with low polarization fractions there is a hint that outflows are preferentially perpendicular to small-scale B-fields, which suggests that in these sources the fields have been wrapped up by envelope rotation. (3) Finally, even at ∼2.''5 resolution we see the so-called polarization hole effect, where the fractional polarization drops significantly near the total intensity peak. All data are publicly available in the electronic edition of this article.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Einstein@Home DISCOVERY OF A PALFA MILLISECOND PULSAR IN AN ECCENTRIC BINARY ORBIT

We report the discovery of the millisecond pulsar (MSP) PSR J1950+2414 (P = 4.3 ms) in a binary system with an eccentric (e = 0.08) 22 day orbit in Pulsar Arecibo L-band Feed Array survey observations with the Arecibo telescope. Its companion star has a median mass of 0.3 M{sub ⊙} and is most likely a white dwarf (WD). Fully recycled MSPs like this one are thought to be old neutron stars spun-up by mass transfer from a companion star. This process should circularize the orbit, as is observed for the vast majority of binary MSPs, which predominantly have orbital eccentricities e < 0.001. However, four recently discovered binary MSPs have orbits with 0. 027 < e < 0.44; PSR J1950+2414 is the fifth such system to be discovered. The upper limits for its intrinsic spin period derivative and inferred surface magnetic field strength are comparable to those of the general MSP population. The large eccentricities are incompatible with the predictions of the standard recycling scenario: something unusual happened during their evolution. Proposed scenarios are (a) initial evolution of the pulsar in a triple system which became dynamically unstable, (b) origin in an exchange encounter in an environment with high stellar density, (c) rotationally delayed accretion-induced collapse of a super-Chandrasekhar WD, and (d) dynamical interaction of the binary with a circumbinary disk. We compare the properties of all five known eccentric MSPs with the predictions of these formation channels. Future measurements of the masses and proper motion might allow us to firmly exclude some of the proposed formation scenarios.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Threatening Magnetic and Plasma Environment of the TRAPPIST-1 Planets

Recently, four additional Earth-mass planets were discovered orbiting the nearby ultracool M8 dwarf, TRAPPIST-1, making a remarkable total of seven planets with equilibrium temperatures compatible with the presence of liquid water on their surface. Temperate terrestrial planets around an M-dwarf orbit close to their parent star, rendering their atmospheres vulnerable to erosion by the stellar wind and energetic electromagnetic and particle radiation. Here, we use state-of-the-art 3D magnetohydrodynamic models to simulate the wind around TRAPPIST-1 and study the conditions at each planetary orbit. All planets experience a stellar wind pressure between 10{sup 3} and 10{sup 5} times the solar wind pressure on Earth. All orbits pass through wind pressure changes of an order of magnitude and most planets spend a large fraction of their orbital period in the sub-Alfvénic regime. For plausible planetary magnetic field strengths, all magnetospheres are greatly compressed and undergo much more dynamic change than that of the Earth. The planetary magnetic fields connect with the stellar radial field over much of the planetary surface, allowing the direct flow of stellar wind particles onto the planetary atmosphere. These conditions could result in strong atmospheric stripping and evaporation and should be taken into account for any realistic assessment of the evolution and habitability of the TRAPPIST-1 planets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

RADIO TRANSIENTS FROM THE ACCRETION-INDUCED COLLAPSE OF WHITE DWARFS

It has long been expected that in some scenarios when a white dwarf (WD) grows to the Chandrasekhar limit, it can undergo an accretion-induced collapse (AIC) to form a rapidly rotating neutron star. Nevertheless, the detection of such events has so far evaded discovery, likely because the optical, supernova-like emission is expected to be dim and short-lived. Here we propose a novel signature of AIC: a transient radio source lasting for a few months. Rapid rotation along with flux freezing and dynamo action can grow the WD's magnetic field to magnetar strengths during collapse. The spin-down of this newly born magnetar generates a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) within the {approx}10{sup -3}-10{sup -1} M{sub Sun} of ejecta surrounding it. Our calculations show that synchrotron emission from the PWN may be detectable in the radio, even if the magnetar has a rather modest magnetic field of {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 14} G and an initial spin period of {approx}10 ms. An all-sky survey with a detection limit of 1 mJy at 1.4 GHz would see {approx}4(f/10{sup -2}) above threshold at any given time, where f is the ratio of the AIC rate to Type Ia supernova rate. A similar scenario may result from binary neutron stars if some mergers produce massive neutron stars rather than black holes. We conclude with a discussion of the detectability of these types of transient radio sources in an era of facilities with high mapping speeds.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A NuSTAR observation of the reflection spectrum of the low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1728-34

We report on a simultaneous NuSTAR and Swift observation of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1728-34. We identified and removed four Type I X-ray bursts during the observation in order to study the persistent emission. The continuum spectrum is hard and described well by a blackbody with kT = 1.5 keV and a cutoff power law with Γ = 1.5, and a cutoff temperature of 25 keV. Residuals between 6 and 8 keV provide strong evidence of a broad Fe Kα line. By modeling the spectrum with a relativistically blurred reflection model, we find an upper limit for the inner disk radius of R{sub in}⩽2R{sub ISCO}. Consequently, we find that R {sub NS} ≤ 23 km, assuming M = 1.4 M {sub ⊙} and a = 0.15. We also find an upper limit on the magnetic field of B ≤ 2 × 10{sup 8} G.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Increasing Black Hole Feedback-induced Quenching with Anisotropic Thermal Conduction

Feedback from central supermassive black holes is often invoked to explain the low star formation rates (SFRs) in the massive galaxies at the centers of galaxy clusters. However, the detailed physics of the coupling of the injected feedback energy with the intracluster medium (ICM) is still unclear. Using high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic cosmological simulations of galaxy cluster formation, we investigate the role of anisotropic thermal conduction in shaping the thermodynamic structure of clusters, and in particular, in modifying the impact of black hole feedback. Stratified anisotropically conducting plasmas are formally always unstable, and thus more prone to mixing, an expectation borne out by our results. The increased mixing efficiently isotropizes the injected feedback energy, which in turn significantly improves the coupling between the feedback energy and the ICM. This facilitates an earlier disruption of the cool-core, reduces the SFR by more than an order of magnitude, and results in earlier quenching despite an overall lower amount of feedback energy injected into the cluster core. With conduction, the metallicity gradients and dispersions are lowered, aligning them better with observational constraints. These results highlight the important role of thermal conduction in establishing and maintaining the quiescence of massive galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Neutrino signal from proto-neutron star evolution: Effects of opacities from charged-current–neutrino interactions and inverse neutron decay

In this work, we investigate the impact of charged-current–neutrino processes on the formation and evolution of neutrino spectra during the deleptonization of proto-neutron stars. To this end we develop the full kinematics of these reaction rates consistent with the nuclear equation of state, including weak magnetism contributions. This allows us to systematically study the impact of inelastic contributions and weak magnetism on the $ν_e$ and $\bar{ν}_e$ luminosities and average energies. Furthermore, we explore the role of the inverse neutron decay, also known as the direct Urca process, on the emitted spectra of $\bar{ν}_e$. This process is commonly considered in the cooling scenario of cold neutron stars but has so far been neglected in the evolution of hot proto-neutron stars. We find that the inverse neutron decay becomes the dominating opacity source for low-energy $\bar{ν}_e$. Accurate three-flavor Boltzmann neutrino transport enables us to relate the magnitude of neutrino fluxes and spectra to details of the treatment of weak processes. This allows us to quantify the corresponding impact on the conditions relevant for the nucleosynthesis in the neutrino-driven wind, which is ejected from the proto-neutron star surface during the deleptonization phase.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Tuning the structure and habit of iron oxide mesocrystals

A precise control over the meso- and microstructure of ordered and aligned nanoparticle assemblies, i.e., mesocrystals, is essential in the quest for exploiting the collective material properties for potential applications. In this work, we produced evaporation-induced self-assembled mesocrystals with different mesostructures and crystal habits based on iron oxide nanocubes by varying the nanocube size and shape and by applying magnetic fields. A full 3D characterization of the mesocrystals was performed using image analysis, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS). This enabled the structural determination of e.g. multi-domain mesocrystals with complex crystal habits and the quantification of interparticle distances with sub-nm precision. Mesocrystals of small nanocubes (l = 8.6 12.6 nm) are isostructural with a body centred tetragonal (bct ) lattice whereas assemblies of the largest nanocubes in this study (l = 13.6 nm) additionally form a simple cubic (sc) lattice. The mesocrystal habit can be tuned from a square, hexagonal to star-like and pillar shapes depending on the particle size and shape and the strength of the applied magnetic field. Finally, we outline a qualitative phase diagram of the evaporation-induced self-assembled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocube mesocrystals based on nanocube edge length and magnetic field strength.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

OSCILLATION-DRIVEN MAGNETOSPHERIC ACTIVITY IN PULSARS

We study the magnetospheric activity in the polar cap region of pulsars under stellar oscillations. The toroidal oscillation of the star propagates into the magnetosphere, which provides additional voltage due to unipolar induction, changes Goldreich-Julian charge density from the traditional value due to rotation, and hence influences particle acceleration. We present a general solution of the effect of oscillations within the framework of the inner vacuum gap model and consider three different inner gap modes controlled by curvature radiation, inverse Compton scattering, and two-photon annihilation, respectively. With different pulsar parameters and oscillation amplitudes, one of three modes would play a dominant role in defining the gap properties. When the amplitude of oscillation exceeds a critical value, mode changing occurs. Oscillations also lead to a change of the size of the polar cap. As applications, we show the inner gap properties under oscillations in both normal pulsars and anomalous X-ray pulsars/soft gamma-ray repeaters (AXPs/SGRs). We interpret the onset of radio emission after glitches/flares in AXPs/SGRs as due to oscillation-driven magnetic activities in these objects, within the framework of both the magnetar model and the solid quark star model. Within the magnetar model, radio activation may be caused by the enlargement of the effective polar cap angle and the radio emission beam due to oscillation, whereas within the solid quark star angle, it may be caused by activation of the pulsar inner gap from below the radio emission death line due to an oscillation-induced voltage enhancement. The model can also explain the glitch-induced radio profile change observed in PSR J1119–6127.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

FRAME DRAGGING, DISK WARPING, JET PRECESSING, AND DIPPED X-RAY LIGHT CURVE OF Sw J1644+57

The X-ray transient source Sw J1644+57 recently discovered by Swift is believed to be triggered by tidal disruption of a star by a rapidly spinning supermassive black hole (SMBH). For such events, the outer disk is very likely misaligned with respect to the equatorial plane of the spinning SMBH, since the incoming star before disruption most likely has an inclined orbital plane. The tilted disk is subject to the Lense-Thirring torque, which tends to twist and warp due to the Bardeen-Petterson effect. The inner disk tends to align with the SMBH spin, while the outer region tends to remain in the stellar orbital plane, with a transition zone around the Bardeen-Petterson radius. The relativistic jet launched from the spinning SMBH would undergo precession. The 5-30 day X-ray light curve of Sw J1644+57 shows a quasi-periodic (2.7 day) variation with noticeable narrow dips. We numerically solve a warped disk and propose a jet-precessing model by invoking a Blandford-Znajek jet collimated by a wind launched near the Bardeen-Petterson radius. Through simulations, we show that the narrow dips in the X-ray light curve can be reproduced for a range of geometric configurations. From the data we infer that the inclination angle of the initial stellar orbit is in the range of 10 Degree-Sign -20 Degree-Sign from the SMBH equatorial plane, that the jet should have a moderately high Lorentz factor, and that the inclination angle, jet opening angle, and observer's viewing angle are such that the duty cycle of the line of sight sweeping the jet cone is somewhat less than 0.5.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Soft X-ray extended emissions of short gamma-ray bursts as electromagnetic counterparts of compact binary mergers: possible origin and detectability

We investigate the possible origin of extended emissions (EEs) of short gamma-ray bursts with an isotropic energy of ∼10{sup 50-51} erg and a duration of a few 10 s to ∼100 s, based on a compact binary (neutron star (NS)-NS or NS-black hole (BH)) merger scenario. We analyze the evolution of magnetized neutrino-dominated accretion disks of mass ∼0.1 M {sub ☉} around BHs formed after the mergers and estimate the power of relativistic outflows via the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process. We show that a rotation energy of the BH up to ≳ 10{sup 52} erg can be extracted with an observed timescale of ≳ 30(1 + z) s with a relatively small disk viscosity parameter of α < 0.01. Such a BZ power dissipates by clashing with non-relativistic pre-ejected matter of mass M ∼ 10{sup –(2-4)} M {sub ☉}, and forms a mildly relativistic fireball. We show that the dissipative photospheric emissions from such fireballs are likely in the soft X-ray band (1-10 keV) for M ∼ 10{sup –2} M {sub ☉}, possibly in NS-NS mergers, and in the BAT band (15-150 keV) for M ∼ 10{sup –4} M {sub ☉}, possibly in NS-BH mergers. In the former case, such soft EEs can provide a good chance of ∼6 yr{sup −1} (ΔΩ{sub softEE}/4π) (R{sub GW}/40 yr{sup −1}) for simultaneous detections of the gravitational waves with a ∼0.°1 angular resolution by soft X-ray survey facilities like the Wide-Field MAXI. Here, ΔΩ{sub softEE} is the beaming factor of the soft EEs and R{sub GW} is the NS-NS merger rate detectable by the advanced LIGO, the advanced Virgo, and KAGRA.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Can we observe the ion-neutral drift velocity in prestellar cores?

Given the low-ionization fraction of molecular clouds, ambipolar diffusion is thought to be an integral process in star formation. However, chemical and radiative-transfer effects, observational challenges, and the fact that the ion-neutral drift velocity is inherently very small render a definite detection of ambipolar diffusion extremely non-trivial. Here, we study the ion-neutral drift velocity in a suite of chemodynamical, non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD), two-dimensional axisymmetric simulations of prestellar cores where we alter the temperature, cosmic-ray ionization rate, visual extinction, mass-to-flux ratio, and chemical evolution. Subsequently, we perform a number of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) radiative-transfer calculations considering various idealized and non-idealized scenarios in order to assess which factor (chemistry, radiative transfer, and/or observational difficulties) is the most challenging to overcome in our efforts to detect the ion-neutral drift velocity. We find that temperature has a significant effect in the amplitude of the drift velocity with the coldest modelled cores (T = 6 K) exhibiting drift velocities comparable to the sound speed. Against expectations, we find that in idealized scenarios (where two species are perfectly chemically co-evolving) the drift velocity ‘survives’ radiative-transfer effects and can in principle be observed. However, we find that observational challenges and chemical effects can significantly hinder our view of the ion-neutral drift velocity. Finally, we propose that HCN and HCNH + ⁠, being chemically co-evolving, could be used in future observational studies aiming to measure the ion-neutral drift velocity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The {sup 13}C(α,n){sup 16}O reaction as a neutron source for the s-process in AGB low-mass stars

The {sup 13}C(α,n){sup 16}O reaction is considered to be the most important neutron source for producing the main component of the s-process in low mass stars. In this paper we focus our attention on two of the main open problems concerning its operation as a driver for the slow neutron captures. Recently, a new measurement of the {sup 13}C(α,n){sup 16}O reaction rate was performed via the Trojan Horse Method greatly increasing the accuracy. Contemporarily, on the modelling side, magnetic mechanisms were suggested to justify the production of the {sup 13}C pocket, thus putting the s-process in stars on safe physical ground. These inputs allow us to reproduce satisfactorily the solar distribution of elements.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗