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        <title>Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences | Nuclear Physics​ section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/astronomy-and-space-sciences/sections/nuclear-physics</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Nuclear Physics​ section in the Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-13T09:34:52.748+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2026.1803367</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2026.1803367</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Strong and weak interactions in compact stars]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Mark Alford</author><author>David Blaschke</author><author>Ignazio Bombaci</author><author>James Lattimer</author><author>Armen Sedrakian</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1733496</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1733496</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Universality and variability of the heavy r-process element abundance pattern from a nonequilibrium approach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>David Blaschke</author><author>Friedrich K. Röpke</author><author>Gerd Röpke</author>
        <description><![CDATA[A striking feature in the observed chemical composition of the majority of stars is the universality of the relative abundances of the heavy elements, although some outliers exist. We demonstrate that a nonequilibrium freeze-out approach provides a natural way of accounting for the typical abundance pattern and its variation. Here, we use a phenomenological method to characterize the coarse-grained distribution of heavy r-process elements in several astrophysical objects. The Lagrange parameters show only minor fluctuations when comparing different stars. Larger deviations are observed in stars with low metallicity. The variations in the Lagrange parameters for these stars are presented. The determination of the Lagrange parameters can be instrumental in identifying possible sources for the formation of heavy elements. In particular, density fluctuations are considered as a source for the production of heavy elements in the early Universe.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1666331</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1666331</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Relativistic ab initio calculations for static and rotating neutron stars]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Hui Tong</author><author>Sibo Wang</author><author>Jie Meng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Neutron stars are extraordinary astrophysical objects with densities close to and even very far above these in atomic nuclei. Their structure and dynamic observables are governed by the equation of state (EoS). Due to difficulties in both theory and experiments, there exist still big uncertainties on the EoS for neutron stars. From the realistic nucleon–nucleon (NN) interactions fitted to the experimental NN scattering data, the ab initio calculations based on exact many-body theory are expected to provide a reliable EoS for neutron stars. In this mini review, the relativistic Brueckner–Hartree–Fock theory within the full Dirac space will be introduced, the technical for relieving the angle-averaging approximations will be addressed, and its description for neutron star properties will be introduced.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1648066</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1648066</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Bulk viscosity of two-flavor color superconducting quark matter in neutron star mergers]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mark Alford</author><author>Arus Harutyunyan</author><author>Armen Sedrakian</author><author>Stefanos Tsiopelas</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This work investigates the bulk viscosity of warm, dense, neutrino-transparent, color-superconducting quark matter, where damping of density oscillations in the kHz frequency range arises from weak-interaction-driven direct Urca processes involving quarks. We study the two-flavor red-green paired color-superconducting (2SC) phase, while allowing for the presence of unpaired strange quarks and blue color light quarks of all flavors. Our calculations are based on the SU(3) Nambu–Jona–Lasinio model, extended to include both vector interactions and the ‘t Hooft determinant term. The primary focus is on how variations in the NJL Lagrangian parameters—specifically, the diquark and vector coupling strengths—affect both the static properties of quark matter, such as its equation of state and composition, and its dynamical behavior, including bulk viscosity and associated damping timescales. We find that the bulk viscosity and corresponding damping timescale can change by more than an order of magnitude upon varying the vector coupling by a factor of two at high densities and by a lesser degree at lower densities. This sensitivity primarily arises from the susceptibility of 2SC matter, with a smaller contribution from modifications to the weak interaction rates. In comparison, changes in the diquark coupling have a more limited impact. The damping of density oscillations in 2SC matter is similar quantitatively to nucleonic matter and can be a leading mechanism of dissipation in merging hybrid stars containing color superconducting cores.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1554123</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1554123</link>
        <title><![CDATA[General features of the stellar matter equation of state from microscopic theory, new maximum-mass constraints, and causality]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Francesca Sammarruca</author><author>Tomiwa Ajagbonna</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The profile of a neutron star probes a very large range of densities, from the density of iron up to several times the density of saturated nuclear matter, and thus no theory of hadrons can be considered reliable if extended to those regions. We emphasize the importance of taking contemporary ab initio theories of nuclear and neutron matter as the baseline for any extension method, which will unavoidably involve some degree of phenomenology. We discuss how microscopic theory, on the one end, with causality and maximum-mass constraints, on the other, set strong boundaries to the high-density equation of state. We present our latest neutron star predictions where we combine polytropic extensions and parametrizations guided by speed of sound considerations. The predictions we show include our baseline neutron star cooling curves.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1600563</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2025.1600563</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Confronting recent light compact star observations with color-flavor locked quark matter]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-07-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>K. Kourmpetis</author><author>P. Laskos-Patkos</author><author>Ch. C. Moustakidis</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Recent analyses on the properties of the central compact object in the HESS J1731-347 remnant and the PSR J1231-1411 pulsar indicated that these two compact objects are characterized by similar (low) masses and possibly different radii. This paper aims at reconciling the aforementioned measurements by utilizing the widely employed color-flavor locked (CFL) MIT bag model. The main objective is related to the examination of the acceptable values for the color superconducting gap Δ and the bag parameter B. Furthermore, our analysis involves two distinct hypotheses for the nature of compact stars. Firstly, we considered the case of absolute stability for strange quark matter and we found that it is possible to explain both measurements, while also respecting the latest astronomical constraints on the masses and radii of compact stars. Secondly, we studied the case of hybrid stellar matter (transition from hadrons to quarks), and concluded that, when early phase transitions are considered, the simultaneous reconciliation of both measurements leads to results that are inconsistent to the existence of massive compact stars. However, we showed that all current constraints may be satisfied under the consideration that the HESS J1731-347 remnant contains a slow stable hybrid star.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1502888</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1502888</link>
        <title><![CDATA[New insights into supradense matter from dissecting scaled stellar structure equations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Bao-Jun Cai</author><author>Bao-An Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The strong-field gravity in general relativity (GR) realized in neutron stars (NSs) renders the equation of state (EOS) P(ε) of supradense neutron star matter to be essentially nonlinear and refines the upper bound for ϕ≡P/ε to be much smaller than the special relativity (SR) requirement with linear EOSs, where P and ε are respectively the pressure and energy density of the system considered. Specifically, a tight bound ϕ≲0.374 is obtained by perturbatively anatomizing the intrinsic structures of the scaled Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) equations without using any input nuclear EOS. New insights gained from this novel analysis provide EOS-model-independent constraints on the properties (e.g., density profiles of the sound speed squared s2=dP/dε and trace anomaly Δ=1/3−ϕ) of cold supradense matter in NS cores. Using the gravity-matter duality in theories describing NSs, we investigate the impact of gravity on supradense matter EOS in NSs. In particular, we show that the NS mass MNS, radius R, and compactness ξ≡MNS/R scale with certain combinations of its central pressure and energy density (encapsulating its central EOS). Thus, observational data on these properties of NSs can straightforwardly constrain NS central EOSs without relying on any specific nuclear EOS model.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1494439</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1494439</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Machine learning opportunities for nucleosynthesis studies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Michael S. Smith</author><author>Dan Lu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nuclear astrophysics is an interdisciplinary field focused on exploring the impact of nuclear physics on the evolution and explosions of stars and the cosmic creation of the elements. While researchers in astrophysics and in nuclear physics are separately using machine learning approaches to advance studies in their fields, there is currently little use of machine learning in nuclear astrophysics. We briefly describe the most common types of machine learning algorithms, and then detail their numerous possible uses to advance nuclear astrophysics, with a focus on simulation-based nucleosynthesis studies. We show that machine learning offers novel, complementary, creative approaches to address many important nucleosynthesis puzzles, with the potential to initiate a new frontier in nuclear astrophysics research.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1505560</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1505560</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The nuclear symmetry energy and the neutron skin thickness in nuclei]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>G. F. Burgio</author><author>H. C. Das</author><author>I. Vidaña</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionWe investigate possible correlations between the stiffness of the symmetry energy at saturation density, the so-called L parameter, and the neutron skin thickness of 48Ca and 208Pb, for which the recent measurements from the CREX and PREX I + II experiments at the Thomas Jefferson Laboratory became available.MethodsWe choose an ensemble of nucleonic equations of state (EoS) derived within microscopic (BHF, Variational, AFDMC) and phenomenological (Skyrme, RMF, DD-RMF) approaches. They are all compatible with the laboratory nuclear collisions data and with current observations of neutron stars (NS) mass and the tidal polarizability of a 1.4 M⊙ NS, as deduced from the GW170817 event.ResultsWe find some degree of correlation between the L parameter and the neutron skin thickness whereas a much weaker correlation does exist with the tidal polarizability and the symmetry energy at saturation density. However, some EoS which are able to explain the CREX experimental data, are not compatible with the PREX I + II data, and viceversa.ConclusionWe confirm the results previously obtained with a different set of EoS models, and find a possible tension between the experimental data and the current understanding of the nuclear EoS.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1449389</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1449389</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Cross section data of interest for nuclear astrophysics: experimental and theoretical status, and perspectives]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-08-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Dario Lattuada</author><author>Denise Piatti</author><author>Yi Xu</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1436202</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2024.1436202</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Quasi-particle–vibration coupling approach for nuclear β-decay]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-08-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Gianluca Colò</author><author>Yifei Niu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The study of β-decay is important to answer open questions in physics and astrophysics; however, theoretical predictions of the associated half-lives are still plagued by uncertainties. In this short review, we argue that a reliable model for this study is nuclear density functional theory (DFT), complemented by further specific correlations; the quasi-particle–vibration coupling (QPVC) model has been successful in predicting half-lives in a number of spherical nuclei, and its extension to deformed systems should be envisioned. Some remaining open questions are addressed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1325053</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1325053</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Recent results and future perspectives with solid targets at LUNA]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-01-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Chemseddine Ananna</author><author>Lucia Barbieri</author><author>Axel Boeltzig</author><author>Matteo Campostrini</author><author>Fausto Casaburo</author><author>Giovanni Francesco Ciani</author><author>Alessandro Compagnucci</author><author>Riccardo Maria Gesuè</author><author>Jordan Marsh</author><author>Eliana Masha</author><author>Daniela Mercogliano</author><author>David Rapagnani</author><author>Duncan Robb</author><author>Ragandeep Singh Sidhu</author><author>Jakub Skowronski</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The stellar evolution and chemical make-up of the Universe are determined by nuclear reactions occurring in a wide variety of stellar sites. Precise determinations of the cross sections of these reactions are crucial for the calculation of reaction rates and for the development of stellar evolution models. The Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics (LUNA) collaboration has been at the forefront of the direct measurement of nuclear reactions at the low energies of astrophysical interest for the last 35 years. The many significant results achieved at LUNA have been made possible due to the low background conditions uniquely available thanks to its location deep underground at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. Another key aspect of these successes is due to the experience of the LUNA collaboration in the production and characterization of a variety of solid targets used in reaction measurements. In this review, the main production techniques of solid targets are described, as well as the common methods adopted for target degradation monitoring. We also present the results of recent measurements using these targets and the future plans of the LUNA collaboration for measurements using solid targets at the LUNA400 kV and the new Ion Beam Facility (IBF) 3.5 MV are also presented.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1243615</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1243615</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Nuclear data resources and initiatives for nuclear astrophysics]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-11-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Michael S. Smith</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Research into the cosmic synthesis of the elements, the evolution and explosion of stars, the nature of the early Universe, and other important topics in nuclear astrophysics are at the forefront of nuclear science. These studies are motivating laboratory measurements and theoretical calculations that, after significant investments, are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The latest nuclear results, however, must be specially prepared before they can be used to advance our knowledge of the cosmos. This processing requires a set of resources unique to nuclear astrophysics, and an impressive collection of nuclear reaction and nuclear structure datasets, processing codes, thermonuclear reaction rate libraries, and simulation codes and services have been developed for the field. There are, however, some serious challenges to these efforts that will only worsen in the future, making it important to develop strategies and act now to ensure a sustainable future for this work. After detailing the specific data types needed for nuclear astrophysics and the available data resources, the major challenges in this work and their implications are discussed. A set of initiatives are proposed to meet those challenges along with suggested implementations and possible ways that they may advance our understanding of the Universe and strengthen the field of nuclear astrophysics.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1265919</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1265919</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Study of the isomeric yield ratio in the photoneutron reaction of natural holmium induced by laser-accelerated electron beams]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-11-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jingli Zhang</author><author>Wei Qi</author><author>Wenru Fan</author><author>Zongwei Cao</author><author>Kaijun Luo</author><author>Changxiang Tan</author><author>Xiaohui Zhang</author><author>Zhigang Deng</author><author>Zhimeng Zhang</author><author>Xinxiang Li</author><author>Yun Yuan</author><author>Wen Luo</author><author>Weimin Zhou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Introduction: An accurate knowledge of the isomeric yield ratio (IR) induced by the photonuclear reaction is crucial to study the nuclear structure and reaction mechanisms. 165Ho is a good candidate for the investigation of the IR since the Ho target has a natural abundance of 100% and the residual nuclide has a good decay property.Methods: In this study, the photoneutron production of 164m, gHo induced by laser-accelerated electron beams is investigated experimentally. The γ-ray spectra of activated Ho foils are off-line detected. Since the direct transitions from the 164mHo are not successfully observed, we propose to extract the IRs of the 164m, gHo using only the photopeak counts from the ground-state decay.Results: The production yields of 164m, gHo are extracted to be (0.45 ± 0.10) × 106 and (1.48 ± 0.14) × 106 per laser shot, respectively. The resulting IR is obtained to be 0.30 ± 0.08 at the effective γ-ray energy of 12.65 MeV.Discussion: The present data, available experimental data, and TALYS calculations are then compared to examine the role of the excitation energy. It is found that besides the giant dipole resonance, the excitation energy effect also plays a key role in the determination of the IRs.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1251743</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1251743</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The reaction rate of radiative n8Li capture in the range from 0.01 to 10 T9]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-09-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>S. B. Dubovichenko</author><author>B. M. Yeleusheva</author><author>N. A. Burkova</author><author>A. S. Tkachenko</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Within the modified potential cluster model (MPCM) with forbidden states, the total cross sections are calculated for capture in the ground and first excited states of the 9Li nucleus in the n8Li channel in the energy range from 10−5 eV to 5 MeV based on Е1 and M1 transitions. The experimentally proved resonance at Ec.m. = 0.232 MeV in the 4P5/2 wave and ab initio-predicted 4P3/2 resonance at 1.32 MeV [Phys. Rev. C 103, 035801 (2021)] are considered. The strong impact of the asymptotic constant and channel spectroscopic factors on the total capture cross sections are responsible for the variation in the absolute values within factor two. As a consequence, the thermal cross sections are σtherm= 24–46.8 mb. The evaluation of σtherm based on the extrapolation of ab initio cross sections yields ∼85 mb. The reaction rate is calculated in the temperature range from 0.01 to 10 T9. The reported reaction rates are compared at the benchmark point 1 T9. The comparison of two datasets [Phys. Rev. C 103, 035801 (2021) and Phys. Rev. C 105, 064608 (2022)] on reaction rates recently calculated in microscopic models in extended temperature intervals shows the essential quantitative and qualitative differences. The comparative joint analysis of the reaction rates of radiative neutron capture on the lithium isotopes 6,7,8Li is suggested for the choice of an optimal interval for the asymptotic constants.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1248834</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2023.1248834</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Prospect for measurements of (γ, n) reaction cross-sections of p-nuclei at ELI-NP]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-08-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>P.-A. Söderström</author><author>A. Kuşoğlu</author><author>D. Testov</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The gamma beam system under construction at the ELI-NP facility in Romania is projected to give the nuclear physics community access to an experimental system providing a high-intensity, narrow bandwidth photon beam at variable energy. With high-efficiency detector systems in place, the experimental programme will have a strong potential for in-depth studies of rare stable isotopes originating from the astrophysical p-process. In particular, the neutron detection systems are already implemented through a dedicated 3He long neutron counter array, called ELIGANT-TN, that is completed and in use. In this mini-review, we will give a summary of the current status of existing (γ, n) cross-section data, as well as the methods to obtain them, and highlight the future potential to expand and improve such data using the ELI-NP instrumentation and beam-lines.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.1087543</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.1087543</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Nuclear physics and astrophysics in plasma traps]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-12-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>David Mascali</author><author>Domenico Santonocito</author><author>Giacomo de Angelis</author><author>Karl-Ludwig Kratz</author><author>Sara Palmerini</author><author>Giuseppe Torrisi</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.956633</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.956633</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Production of solar abundances for nuclei beyond Sr: The s- and r-process perspectives]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-10-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Maurizio M. Busso</author><author>Karl-Ludwig Kratz</author><author>Sara Palmerini</author><author>Waheed Akram</author><author>Vincenzo Antonuccio-Delogu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[We present the status of nucleosynthesis beyond Sr, using up-to-date nuclear inputs for both the slow (s-process) and rapid (r-process) scenarios of neutron captures. It is now widely accepted that at least a crucial part of the r-process distribution is linked to neutron star merger (NSM) events. However, so far, we have found only a single direct observation of such a link, the kilonova GW170817. Its fast evolution could not provide strict constraints on the nucleosynthesis details, and in any case, there remain uncertainties in the local r-process abundance patterns, which are independent of the specific astrophysical site, being rooted in nuclear physics. We, therefore, estimate the contributions from the r-process to solar system (S.S.) abundances by adopting the largely site-independent waiting-point concept through a superposition of neutron density components normalized to the r-abundance peaks. Nuclear physics inputs for such calculations are understood only for the trans-Fe nuclei; hence, we restrict our computations to the Sr–Pr region. We then estimate the s-process contributions to that atomic mass range from recent models of asymptotic giant branch stars, for which uncertainties are known to be dominated by nuclear effects. The outcomes from the two independent approaches are then critically analyzed. Despite the remaining problems from both sides, they reveal a surprisingly good agreement, with limited local discrepancies. These few cases are then discussed. New measurements in ionized plasmas are suggested as a source of improvement, with emphasis on β-decays from unstable Cs isotopes. For heavier nuclei, difficulties grow as r-process progenitors lie far off experimental reach and poorly known branchings affect s-processing. This primarily concerns nuclei that are significantly long-lived in the laboratory and have uncertain decay rates in stars, e.g., Lu176 and Re187. New measurements are urgently needed for them, too.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.994980</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.994980</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Neutron-capture measurement candidates for the r-process in neutron star mergers]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-10-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Diego Vescovi</author><author>René Reifarth</author><author>Sergio Cristallo</author><author>Aaron Couture</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Neutron star mergers (NSMs) are one of the astrophysical sites for the occurrence of the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). After a merger, the ejected neutron-rich matter hosts the production of radioactive heavy nuclei located far from the stability valley. Their nuclear physics properties are key inputs for r-process nucleosynthesis calculations. Here, we focus on the importance of neutron-capture rates and perform a sensitivity study for typical outflows from NSMs. We identify the rates with the highest impact on the final r-process abundance pattern and the nuclear energy release, therefore determining the nucleosynthesis in NSMs. A list of major n-capture rates affecting individual isotopes and elements production is also provided.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.931744</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.931744</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Experimental and numerical investigation of magneto-plasma optical properties toward measurements of opacity relevant for compact binary objects]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-10-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Angelo Pidatella</author><author>David Mascali</author><author>Matteo Bezmalinovich</author><author>Giulia Emma</author><author>Maria Mazzaglia</author><author>Bharat Mishra</author><author>Giorgio Finocchiaro</author><author>Alessio Galatà</author><author>Salvo Marletta</author><author>Giorgio Sebastiano Mauro</author><author>Eugenia Naselli</author><author>Domenico Santonocito</author><author>Giuseppe Torrisi</author><author>Sergio Cristallo</author><author>Marco La Cognata</author><author>Albino Perego</author><author>Roberta Spartà</author><author>Aurora Tumino</author><author>Diego Vescovi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Electromagnetic transients known as kilonovae (KN), are among the photonic messengers released in the post-merger phase of compact binary objects, for example, binary neutron stars, and they have been recently observed as the electromagnetic counterpart of related gravitational-wave (GW) events. Detection of the KN signal plays a fundamental role in the multi-messenger astronomy entering in a sophisticated GW-detecting network. The KN light curve also delivers precious information on the composition and dynamics of the neutron-rich post-merger plasma ejecta (relying on r-process nucleosynthesis yields). In this sense, studying KN becomes of great relevance for nuclear astrophysics. Because of the highly heterogeneous composition, plasma opacity has a great impact both on radiative transport and spectroscopic observation of KN. Theoretical models attempting in encoding the opacity of this system often fail, due to the complexity of blending plethora of both light- and heavy-r nuclei transition lines, requesting for more complete atomic database. Trapped magneto-plasmas conceived in PANDORA could answer to these requests, allowing experimental in-laboratory measurements of optical properties and opacities, at plasma electron densities and temperatures resembling early-stage plasma ejecta’s conditions, contributing to shed light on r-process metallic species abundance at the blue-KN diffusion time. A numerical study has been recently performed, supporting the choice of first physics cases to be investigated and the design of the experimental setup. In this article, we report on the feasibility of metallic plasmas on the basis of the results from the systematic numerical survey on optical spectra computed under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) for several light-r nuclei. Results show the great impact of the NLTE regime of laboratory magneto-plasmas on the gray opacity contribution contrasted with those under the astrophysical LTE assumption. A first experimental attempt of reproducing ejecta plasma conditions has been performed on the operative Flexible Plasma Trap (FPT) at the INFN-LNS and here presented, together with first plasma characterization of density and temperature, via non-invasive optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The measured plasma parameters have supported numerical simulations to explore optical properties of NLTE gaseous and metallic plasmas, in view of the near-future plasma opacity measurements through spectroscopic techniques. The novel work so far performed on these under-dense and low-temperature magneto-plasmas, opens the route for the first-time to future in-laboratory plasma opacity measurements of metallic plasma species relevant for KN light curve studies.]]></description>
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