Speaker
Description
In this talk, I will highlight the critical role of nuclear reactions in massive and very
massive stars and their significant impact on both nucleosynthesis and neutrino
emission. As these stars evolve through successive burning stages such as carbon,
neon, oxygen, and silicon burning, a complex network of nuclear processes governs
the formation of intermediate and heavy elements. These reactions include alpha
captures, neutron captures, proton captures, and photodisintegration, which together
shape the elemental composition of the stellar core and contribute to the chemical
enrichment of the universe. At the same time, weak interaction processes such as
beta decay, electron capture, and thermal neutrino emission through pair production,
photo processes, and plasma interactions become dominant sources of neutrinos.
These neutrinos act as efficient carriers of energy, facilitating the cooling of stellar
interiors and influencing the onset of core collapse. Accurate modeling of these
phenomena depends on detailed nuclear physics inputs such as reaction rates,
decay lifetimes, and cross sections. This presentation will examine how nuclear
reaction networks in massive and very massive stars drive both nucleosynthetic
yields and neutrino spectra, and how these processes connect to ongoing
experimental efforts and future neutrino detection strategies.
