A century ago, nuclear physics entered astrophysics, giving birth to a new field of science referred to as "Nuclear Astrophysics". With time, it developed at an impressive pace into a vastly inter- and multidisciplinary discipline bringing into its wake not only astronomy and cosmology, but also many other sub-fields of physics, especially particle, solid-state and computational physics, as well as chemistry, geology and even biology. The present Astronuclear Physics review focusses primarily on the facets of nuclear physics that are of relevance to astronomy and astrophysics, the theoretical aspects being of special concern here.

An update of the NACRE compilation [3] is presented. This new compilation, referred to as NACRE II, reports thermonuclear reaction rates for 34 charged-particle induced, two-body exoergic reactions on nuclides with mass number A < 16, of which fifteen are particle-transfer reactions and the rest radiative capture reactions. When compared with NACRE, NACRE II features in particular (1) the addition to the experimental data collected in NACRE of those reported later, preferentially in the major journals of the field by early 2013, and (2) the adoption of potential models as the primary tool for extrapolation to very low energies of astrophysical S-factors, with a systematic evaluation of uncertainties.As in NACRE, the rates are presented in tabular form for temperatures in the 106 < T 1010 K range. Along with the 'adopted' rates, their low and high limits are provided. The new rates are available in electronic form as part of the Brussels Library (BRUSLIB) of nuclear data. The NACRE II rates also supersede the previous NACRE rates in the Nuclear Network Generator (NETGEN) for astrophysics. [http://www.astro.ulb.ac.be/databases.html] (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The status of a new evaluation of astrophysical nuclear reaction rates, referred as NACRE-II, is reported. It includes 19 radiative capture and 15 transfer reactions on targets with mass numbers A < 16. This work is meant to supersede the NACRE compilation. Post-NACRE experimental data are taken into account. Extrapolations of the astrophysical S-factor to largely sub-Coulomb energies are based on the use of the potential model and of the distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA) for capture and transfer reactions, respectively. Adopted rates and their lower and upper limits are provided. Here, we illustrate with some results the general procedure followed in the construction of NACRE-II.

This book, written by a group of specialists in the different areas involved, summarises what we understand of the production and distribution of oxygen, the most abundant metal in the Universe. After presenting the methods of oxygen abundance determination in various media, it traces a panorama of oxygen in the Universe, describes the mechanisms and sites of oxygen production and finally discusses the chemical evolution of oxygen in different galactic and extragalactic contexts. An appendix thoroughly discusses the oxygen atomic data. This book is intended for the graduate student as well as for the professional astrophysicist. Its aim is to provide the reader with tools for a deeper understanding of the covered topics rather than just to summarise the latest results. Following the thread of oxygen, the reader can gain a diagonal perspective of the realm of stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy.

We present an updated release of the Brussels Nuclear Network Generator. NETGEN is a tool to help astrophysicists build nuclear reaction networks by generating tables of rates of light-particle (mostly n, p, alpha) induced reactions, nucleus-nucleus fusion reactions, and photodisintegrations, as well as beta-decays and electron captures on temperature grids specified by the user. Nuclear reaction networks relevant to a large variety of astrophysical situations can be constructed, including Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, stellar hydrostatic and explosive hydrogen-, helium- and later burning phases, as well as the synthesis of heavy nuclides (s-, r-, p-, rp-, alpha-processes). The latest version, NETGEN v10.0, is available on the ULB-IAA website www.astro.ulb.ac.be/Netgen/form.html.

We report on the status of a new evaluation of the rates in astrophysical conditions of 19 capture and 15 transfer reactions on stable targets with mass numbers A<16, referred as NACRE-II. This work is meant to supersede the NACRE compilation. Post-NACRE experimental data are taken into account. Extrapolations of the astrophysical S-factor to largely sub-Coulomb energies are based on the use of the potentialmodel and of the distorted wave Born approximation for capture and transfer reactions, respectively. Adopted rates and their lower and upper limits are provided. Here, we illustrate the general procedure followed in the NACRE-II construction with two examples.

Context. Super AGB (SAGB) stars have initial masses ranging between similar to 7-11 M-circle dot and develop efficient hydrogen burning at the base of their convective envelope during their AGB evolution, leading to a substantial production of Al-26(g).Aims. We present the first discussion of the contribution of the SAGB stars to the galactic 26Alg production, and we estimate the main uncertainties that affect the determination of the Al-26(g) yields.Methods. The results of full stellar evolution computations are presented, with special emphasis on the Al-26(g) yields from SAGB stars. We also use a postprocessing nucleosynthesis code to quantify the uncertainties associated with the nuclear reaction rates and with the treatment of convection that modifies the thermodynamical conditions at the base of the convective envelope.Results. Hot bottom burning leads to individual SAGB Al-26(g) yields that are larger than those from intermediate mass stars, amounting to typical values as high as 5 x 10(-5) M-circle dot. The overall SAGB contribution remains modest, however, not exceeding similar to 0.3 M-circle dot of the estimated galactic content of 2.8 M-circle dot. On the other hand, the SAGB Al-26/Al-27 ratios always exceed 0.01, which is commensurable with the values measured in some SiC grains considered to originate in C- rich AGB stars. However, the isotopic composition of some other elements, particularly nitrogen, is clearly at variance with the observations. We find that the Al-26(g) yields are not affected by the pollution induced by the third dredge-ups, but that they strongly depend on the evolution of the temperature at the base of the convective envelope, the determination of which remains highly dependent on the specific convection model used in the stellar computations. Modifications of T-env by +/- 10% leads to variations in the Al-26(g) yields by a factor of 0.2 to 6. In comparison, the nuclear reaction rate uncertainties have less of an impact, altering the yields by less than a factor of 2.

The isotopic abundances of neon, iron, and a number of other species in the galactic cosmic rays have been measured using the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) aboard the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. We compare our data to results from two-component Wolf–Rayet (WR) models. The largest deviations of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) isotope ratios from solar-system ratios predicted by these models are 12C/16O, 22Ne/20Ne, and 58Fe/56Fe. Our measured abundance ratios show good agreement with the model predictions. All of our measured isotopic ratios are consistent with a GCR source consisting of ∼20% of WR material mixed with ∼80% material with solar-system composition. Since WR stars are evolutionary products of OB stars, and most OB stars exist in OB associations, the good agreement of our data with these models strongly suggests that OB associations are the most probable source of at least a substantial fraction of GCRs. In previous work we have shown that the primary 59Ni (which is radioactive and decays only by electron-capture) synthesized in supernovae has decayed prior to being accelerated to GCRs, indicating a time interval between nucleosynthesis and acceleration of >105 yr. In this paper we describe a scenario that should allow most of the 59Ni to decay in the OB association environment and conclude that OB associations are the likely source of most GCRs.

A necessary condition for the reliable modelling of the structure or evolution of the stars and of their concomitant nucleosynthesis is the availability of good quality nuclear data in a very wide area of the chart of nuclides. This short review presents a non-exhaustive list of nuclear data of astrophysics interest (masses, $β$-decays, thermonuclear and non-thermonuclear reaction rates) for nuclides at the bottom of the valley of nuclear stability (mainly involved in the modelling of non-explosive phases of stellar evolution), or for more or less highly exotic nuclides (to be considered in the description of stellar explosions). Special emphasis is put on the importance of providing quality nuclear data bases that can be easily used by astrophysicists.

This is a brief review of the progress made since the seminal contributions to the foundations of the theory of nucleosynthesis by M. Burbidge, G. Burbidge, Fowler and Hoyle, and by Cameron. The reviewed topics are (1) the nuclear physics input to the nucleosynthesis models (nuclear masses, fission, rates of beta-decays, neutrino reactions, photoreactions, and nuclear charged particle-induced or neutron-induced reactions), (2) the nuclear physics and astrophysics aspects of the r-process, and (3) the same items for the p-process.

The r-process, or the rapid neutron-capture process, of stellar nucleosynthesis is called for to explain the production of the stable (and some long-lived radioactive) neutron-rich nuclides heavier than iron that are observed in stars of various metallicities, as well as in the solar system.A very large amount of nuclear information is necessary in order to model the r-process. This concerns the static characteristics of a large variety of light to heavy nuclei between the valley of stability and the vicinity of the neutron-drip line, as well as their beta-decay branches or their reactivity. Fission probabilities of very neutron-rich actinides have also to be known in order to determine the most massive nuclei that have a chance to be involved in the r-process. Even the properties of asymmetric nuclear matter may enter the problem. The enormously challenging experimental and theoretical task imposed by all these requirements is reviewed, and the state-of-the-art development in the field is presented.Nuclear-physics-based and astrophysics-free r-process models of different levels of sophistication have been constructed over the years. We review their merits and their shortcomings. The ultimate goal of r-process studies is clearly to identify realistic sites for the development of the r-process. Here too, the challenge is enormous, and the solution still eludes us. For long, the core collapse supernova of massive stars has been envisioned as the privileged r-process location. We present a brief summary of the one- or multidimensional spherical or non-spherical explosion simulations available to-date. Their predictions are confronted with the requirements imposed to obtain an r-process. The possibility of r-nuclide synthesis during the decompression of the matter of neutron stars following their merging is also discussed.Given the uncertainties remaining on the astrophysical r-process site and on the involved nuclear physics, any confrontation between predicted r-process yields and observed abundances is clearly risky. A comparison dealing with observed r-nuclide abundances in very metal-poor stars and in the solar system is attempted on grounds of r-process models based on parametrised astrophysics conditions. The virtues of the r-process product actinides for dating old stars or the solar system are also critically reviewed. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We have measured the isotopic abundances of neon and a number of other species in the galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) using the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) aboard the ACE spacecraft. Our data are compared to recent results from two-component (Wolf–Rayet material plus solar-like mixtures) Wolf–Rayet (WR) models. The three largest deviations of galactic cosmic ray isotope ratios from solar-system ratios predicted by these models, 12C/16O, 22Ne/20Ne, and 58Fe/56Fe, are very close to those observed. All of the isotopic ratios that we have measured are consistent with a GCR source consisting of ∼20% of WR material mixed with ∼80% material with solar-system composition. Since WR stars are evolutionary products of OB stars, and most OB stars exist in OB associations that form superbubbles, the good agreement of our data with WR models suggests that OB associations within superbubbles are the likely source of at least a substantial fraction of GCRs. In previous work it has been shown that the primary 59Ni (which decays only by electron-capture) in GCRs has decayed, indicating a time interval between nucleosynthesis and acceleration of >105 y. It has been suggested that in the OB association environment, ejecta from supernovae might be accelerated by the high velocity WR winds on a time scale that is short compared to the half-life of 59Ni. Thus the 59Ni might not have time to decay and this would cast doubt upon the OB association origin of cosmic rays. In this paper we suggest a scenario that should allow much of the 59Ni to decay in the OB association environment and conclude that the hypothesis of the OB association origin of cosmic rays appears to be viable.

It has been speculated that WR winds may have contaminated the forming solar system, in particular with short-lived radionuclides (half-lives in the approximate 10^5 - 10^8 y range) that are responsible for a class of isotopic anomalies found in some meteoritic materials. We revisit the capability of the WR winds to eject these radionuclides using new models of single non-exploding WR stars with metallicity Z = 0.02. The earlier predictions for non-rotating WR stars are updated, and models for rotating such stars are used for the first time in this context. We find that (1) rotation has no significant influence on the short-lived radionuclide production by neutron capture during the core He-burning phase, and (2) 26Al, 36Cl, 41Ca, and 107Pd can be wind-ejected by a variety of WR stars at relative levels that are compatible with the meteoritic analyses for a period of free decay of around 10^5 y between production and incorporation into the forming solar system solid bodies. We confirm the previously published conclusions that the winds of WR stars have a radionuclide composition that can meet the necessary condition for them to be a possible contaminating agent of the forming solar system. Still, it remains to be demonstrated from detailed models that this is a sufficient condition for these winds to have provided a level of pollution that is compatible with the observations.

The abundances of neon isotopes in the galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are reported using data from the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) aboard the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE). We compare our ACE-CRIS data for neon and refractory isotope ratios, and data from other experiments, with recent results from two-component Wolf-Rayet (WR) models. The three largest deviations of GCR isotope ratios from solar-system ratios predicted by these models are indeed present in the GCRs. Since WR stars are evolutionary products of OB stars, and most OB stars exist in OB associations that form superbubbles, the good agreement of these data with WR models suggests that superbubbles are the likely source of at least a substantial fraction of GCRs.

Astrophysics is in need of a broad variety of nuclear data. This concerns static ground state properties, characteristics of excited nuclei, spontaneous decay properties, or interactions of nuclei with (mainly) nucleons, alpha-particles or photons. A strong theoretical activity complementing laboratory efforts is also mandatory. A large variety of highly 'exotic' laboratory-unreachable nuclei are indeed involved in the astrophysics modelling. Even when laboratory-studied nuclei are considered, theory has very often to be called for.Mastering the huge volume of nuclear information and making it available in an accurate and usable form for incorporation into astrophysics models is clearly of pivotal importance. The recognition of this necessity has been the driving motivation for the construction of the Brussels library (BRUSLIB) of computed data of astrophysics relevance. It provides an extended information in tabular form on masses, nuclear level densities and partition functions, fission barriers, and thermonuclear reaction rates. In addition of the unprecedented broadness of its scope, BRUSLIB has the unique and most important feature of relying to the largest possible extent on global and coherent microscopic nuclear models.The models of this sort that we have developed to predict the basic properties of the nuclei and of their interactions are briefly reviewed. The content of the BRUSLIB library that relies on these models is described, as well as a user-friendly nuclear network generator (NETGEN) complementing BRUSLIB. Finally, an application of BRUSLIB and NETGEN to the p-process nucleosynthesis during He detonation in sub-Chandrasekhar CO white dwarfs is proposed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.