Speaker
Description
Cosmic nucleosynthesis presents a relatively good understanding of the production of light elements up to iron; however, the origin and abundances of heavier nuclei (A > 56) remain an open problem. Among the proposed nucleosynthesis mechanisms, reactions induced by charged particles, such as α particles, play a significant role in the production of p-nuclei in extreme astrophysical environments.
In the present study, the focus is on the theoretical investigation of reactions between alpha particles and 130,132,134Ba isotopes at energies of astrophysical interest. Due to the limited or even complete lack of experimental cross-section data in the relevant energy range (the Gamow window), the Hauser–Feshbach statistical model is employed to calculate reaction cross sections, as well as the corresponding astrophysical S-factor.
The calculations are performed using the TALYS nuclear reaction code, exploring different combinations of nuclear input parameters, such as optical model potentials, nuclear level densities, and γ-ray strength functions. The main objective of this work is two-fold: first, to provide reliable theoretical predictions that can guide future experimental studies at low energies, where measurements are particularly challenging due to the Coulomb barrier; and second, to contribute to a better understanding of the role of α-induced reactions in the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements and the production of p-nuclei in astrophysical environments, especially at energy ranges where access by contemporary experimental is next to impossible.