Abstract
Cross sections of nuclear reactions relevant for astrophysics are crucial ingredients to understand the energy generation inside stars and the synthesis of the elements. At astrophysical energies, nuclear cross sections are often too small to be measured in laboratories on the Earth surface, where the signal would be overwhelmed by the cosmic-ray induced background. LUNA is a unique Nuclear Astrophysics experiment located at Gran Sasso National Laboratories. The extremely low background achieved at LUNA allows to measure nuclear cross sections directly at the energies of astrophysical interest. Over the years, many crucial reactions involved in stellar hydrogen burning as well as Big Bang nucleosynthesis have been measured at LUNA. The present contribution provides an overview on underground Nuclear Astrophysics as well as the latest results and future perspectives of the LUNA experiment.
Highlights
Nuclear fusion reactions provide most of the energy radiated by stars
Nuclear reactions are responsible for the synthesis of the elements during the Big Bang and inside stars
Iliadis et al.[23] are three orders of magnitude discrepant in the energy range of interest for hydrogen burning in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars
Summary
Nuclear fusion reactions provide most of the energy radiated by stars. the whole life of a star consists of a sequence of phases in which heavier and heavier elements are burnt inside the stellar core. Iliadis et al.[23] are three orders of magnitude discrepant in the energy range of interest for hydrogen burning in AGB stars For this experimental campaign, a proton beam was delivered to the windowless gas target filled with 99.9% enriched 22Ne. The gamma-rays emitted in the de-excitation of 23Na were detected by two HPGe detectors collimated at 55◦ (where the second order Legendre polynomial is zero and possible angular distribution effects are minimal) and 90◦ with respect to the beam direction. Modes of the resonances observed, the BGO phase allowed to increase the sensitivity to possible weak resonances by two orders of magnitude and to measure for the first time the direct capture contribution to the cross section directly at Gamow energies
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