Abstract
The idea of slow-neutron capture nucleosynthesis formulated in 1957 triggered a tremendous experimental effort in different laboratories worldwide to measure the relevant nuclear physics input quantities, namely (n, γ) cross sections over the stellar temperature range (from few eV up to several hundred keV) for most of the isotopes involved from Fe up to Bi. A brief historical review focused on total energy detectors will be presented to illustrate how advances in instrumentation have led to the assessment of new aspects of s-process nucleosynthesis and to the progressive refinement of stellar models. A summary will be presented on current efforts to develop new detection concepts, such as the Total-Energy Detector with γ-ray imaging capability (i-TED). The latter is based on the simultaneous combination of Compton imaging with neutron time-of-flight (TOF) techniques, in order to achieve a superior level of sensitivity and selectivity in the measurement of stellar neutron capture rates.
Highlights
Observation, theory and experiment: this seems to be a persistent repetitive pattern of research in nuclear astrophysics since its origin
After B2FHC a frenetic experimental activity followed in the nuclear physics laboratories
The use of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry has allowed to overcome this limitation [7, 8]. In this contribution we focus on the use of pulsed neutron beams in combination with the time-of-flight (TOF) technique to measure neutron capture rates of astrophysical interest
Summary
Observation, theory and experiment: this seems to be a persistent repetitive pattern of research in nuclear astrophysics since its origin. In 1952 Merrill observed for the first time absorption lines of the radioactive element Technecium in the stellar atmosphere of S-type stars [1], revealing recent or ongoing nucleosynthesis activity in the stars. The seminal theoretical works of Burbidge et al [2] and Cameron [3] (hereafter B2FHC) were published, thereby presenting a theory for the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements that essentially remains valid today [4]. After B2FHC a frenetic experimental activity followed in the nuclear physics laboratories. Intended to demonstrate and secondly to probe and constrain the predictions of the models and the observations by the astronomers. This contribution focuses on some of those experimental efforts.
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