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Chris Fryer (Los Alamos National Laboratory)26/05/2026, 09:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
A number of supernova engines are thought to contribute to the growing menagerie of transients produced by stellar collapse. Gamma-ray observations of the decay of radioactive isotopes provide one of the most direct probe of these engines with the potential to not only distinguish between different engines but also probe the nature of specific engines. Here I review the differences in the...
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Ryota Hatami (SOKENDAI/NAOJ)26/05/2026, 09:40Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
A core-collapse supernova (CCSN) is an explosion of a massive star at the end of their life. The explosion mechanism has not yet been clarified in spite of studies for long time. In this study, we focus on nucleosynthesis as a clue to understand the explosion mechanism. Because CCSNe have driven chemical evolution of the Universe, metal-poor stars born in the early Universe remain the...
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Zhenghai Liu (North Carolina State University)26/05/2026, 10:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
We consider the question of whether core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) can produce rapid neutron
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capture process (r-process) elements and how future MeV gamma-ray observations could address this.
Rare types of CCSNe characterized by substantial magnetic fields and rotation, known as magnetorotational supernovae (MR-SNe), are theoretically predicted to produce these elements, although... -
Nan Liu (Boston University)26/05/2026, 10:50Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Presolar grains are microscopic meteoritic dust particles that condensed in the outflows of ancient stars and supernova ejecta before the formation of the Solar System, preserving a direct isotopic record of stellar nucleosynthesis and astrophysical processes. Most presolar grains originate from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) [1]. Due to the long...
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Andrew M. Davis (University of Chicago)26/05/2026, 11:30Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
A 2022 review of the abundances of radioactive isotopes at the time of Solar System formation [1] is updated, based on new observations and inferences over the past five years. The key isotopes for early Solar System chronology are $^{26}$Al , $^{53}$Mn, and $^{182}$Hf.
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$^{26}$Al is very useful as a relative chronometer and is present in high enough abundance in the early Solar System to be a... -
Tiffany Lewis26/05/2026, 14:30Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
The future of gamma-ray missions is currently under discussion. The FIGSAG Report highlights science cases that can only be addressed with future gamma-ray missions and primarily points toward the need for large payloads to achieve sensitivities exceeding Fermi by over an order of magnitude in both the MeV and GeV regimes in order to answer key questions about blazar jets and build a pulsar...
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Aravind Valluvan (UC San Diego)26/05/2026, 15:10Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Precise measurements of nuclear line emissions have revealed the nature of ongoing chemical enrichment in the Milky Way. Observations of $^{56}$Ni, $^{44}$Ti, and $^{26}$Al have provided unique insights into the dynamics of supernova explosions and the flow of material in the interstellar medium. With a scheduled launch in 2027, the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) will offer new...
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Brian Fields (University of Illinois)26/05/2026, 16:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Recent nearby stellar explosions can deliver their ejecta to the Earth and Moon, leaving a telltale signature in the form of live (not decayed) radioisotopes in the geological record. Remarkably, there is now a wealth of evidence that this has occurred: live ${}^{60}{\rm Fe}$ is found globally and in lunar regolith samples, and recently ${}^{244}{\rm Pu}$ is also detected. These point to...
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Stephen J. Mojzsis (University of Bayreuth, Bavarian Geoinstitute (BGI))27/05/2026, 09:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
The thermal evolution of rocky exoplanets is modulated by (i) left-over (gravitational) heat of accretion, and (ii) radiogenic heating from the decay of long-lived radioactive isotopes, particularly 40^K, 232^Th, 235^U, and 238^U. These heat-producing elements (HPEs) are synthesized through distinct nucleosynthetic pathways and evolved in both relative and absolute abundance over time as...
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Luca Boccioli (UC Berkeley)27/05/2026, 09:40Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Core-collapse supernovae can synthesize $^{44}\rm Ti$ during the explosion via explosive Si-burning and $\alpha$-rich freeze-out. This radioactive isotope with a half-life of $\sim 60$ years is then observed in supernova remnants, particularly Cassiopeia A, by gamma-ray telescopes, such as the upcoming COSI mission. In this talk, I will discuss an alternative production site of $^{44}\rm Ti$...
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Dr Benjamin Wehmeyer (University of Wroclaw)27/05/2026, 10:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Studying the galactic chemical evolution with short lived radioisotopes (SLRs) has a significant advantage over using stable elements: Due to their radioactive decay, SLRs carry additional timing information on astrophysical nucleosynthesis sites. We can use meteoritic abundance data in conjunction with a chemical evolution model to constrain the physical conditions in the last rapid neutron...
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Lorenzo Roberti (INFN)27/05/2026, 10:50Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Carbon-oxygen (C-O) shell mergers in the late evolutionary stages of massive stars play a crucial role in determining their final fate and have a significant impact on the pre-supernova and explosive nucleosynthesis. In this talk, I will explore the complex dynamics within C-O shells, and how these interactions drive the production of intermediate and heavy elements. In particular I will...
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Mr Joshua Issa (University of Victoria)27/05/2026, 11:30Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
O-C shell mergers in massive stars are astrophysical sites for the production of many radioactive isotopes such as $^{40}\mathrm{K}$, which heats rocky exoplanets, and $^{44}\mathrm{Ti}$ and $^{60}\mathrm{Fe}$, which are observed in supernova remnants. Mixing prescriptions used in 1D stellar evolution models of stars with O-C shell mergers do not capture features seen in 3D hydrodynamic...
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Valeria Grisoni (INAF Trieste)27/05/2026, 14:30Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
In this talk, I will discuss the chemical evolution of Milky Way-like galaxies with zoomed-in cosmological simulations including long-term radioactive elements. The simulated galaxies considered here are representative of MW-like galaxies according to a range of properties, that include morphology, masses, star formation rate, distribution of chemical abundances. Our simulations have already...
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Liv Mumma (University of Chicago)27/05/2026, 15:10Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Presolar grains are solid stardust particles with very little physical, chemical, or aqueous alteration, making them perfect for direct analysis of stellar processes in the stars that created the material for our solar system. Trace isotopes in presolar grains can tell us about the nucleosynthetic processes occurring in the stars that formed them. Searching for grains in situ can take...
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Dr Amir Michaelis (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)27/05/2026, 16:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
We investigate a sub-Chandrasekhar mass double detonation pathway for Type Ia supernovae arising from single degenerate helium accreting carbon-oxygen white dwarfs. Using one-dimension recurrent nova evolution code we evolve a 0.7 solar mass white dwarf through steady accretion at 10^-8 solar mass per year until it reaches 1.1 solar mass, yielding realistic, time evolved helium rich profiles....
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Lexanne Weghorn27/05/2026, 16:20Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
The 1275-keV gamma-ray line from decay of the radionuclide $^{22}$Na (${t _ {1/2}}$ = 2.6 y) is a prominent candidate for detection by space-based gamma ray telescopes, including the COSI mission scheduled to launch in 2027. Accurate models of the production and destruction of $^{22}$Na during novae are sought in order to determine the sensitivity required by observational missions as well as...
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Brian Fields (University of Illinois)28/05/2026, 09:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) describes the formation of the lightest nuclides in the first minutes of cosmic time, and is a central pillar of the hot big-bang cosmology. Standard BBN combines this with the Standard Model of particle physics and nuclear cross section measurements. These allow us to make tight predictions for the primordial light element abundances, some of which are...
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Alexander Adams (Michigan State University / Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)28/05/2026, 09:40Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Sensitivity studies have identified the $^{59}$Cu(p, $\gamma$)$^{60}$Zn and $^{59}$Cu(p, $\alpha$)$^{56}$Ni reaction rates as quantities which strongly affect the light curve and ash composition of type I X-ray bursts, and the production of $^{59}$Ni by the $\nu p$ process in supernovae. The relative rates of these reactions will determine the strength of the NiCu cycle: $^{59}$Cu(p,...
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Timothy C. Beers (University of Notre Dame)28/05/2026, 10:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
We present a detailed chemical-abundance analysis of an actinide-boost (log ϵ (Th/Dy) = –0.74) star, LAMOST J122216.85-063345.2 (J1222), a very metal-poor ([Fe/H] = –2.45) halo star with moderate enhancement in rapid neutron-capture (r-)process elements ([Eu/Fe] = +0.61). From high-resolution spectra (R ∼ 55,000) taken with Gemini-S/GHOST, we determine abundances for 43 elements, including...
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Anders Jerkstrand (Stockholm University)28/05/2026, 10:50Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Supernovae and kilonovae are explosive transients representing the deaths of massive stars and mergers of compact objects. In these explosions many radioactive elements are produced, the decay of which powers much of the electromagnetic display. I review the role of radioactivity in determining the observed supernova and kilonova properties, including the deposition physics and thermalization...
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Kenzie Smith (Michigan State University/FRIB)28/05/2026, 11:30Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
The Separator for Capture Reactions (SECAR) located in ReAccelerator Hall 3 (ReA3) at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a next-generation recoil separator designed to directly measure radiative capture reaction rates in inverse kinematics. These reactions are critical to understanding phenomena such as X-ray bursts, novae, and supernovae, which play a key role in the...
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Thanassis Psaltis (Saint Mary's University)28/05/2026, 14:30Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
The long-lived γ-ray isotopes observed in supernova remnants serve as direct signatures of the nucleosynthesis processes occurring deep within core-collapse supernovae. However, transforming these observations into a clear understanding of explosion dynamics requires precise nuclear physics input. A prime example is the 13-N(α,p)16-O reaction, which has been identified as a major nuclear...
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Mengke Li (UC Berkeley)28/05/2026, 15:40Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
The formation of the third 𝑟-process abundance peak near 𝐴 ∼ 195 is highly sensitive to both nuclear structure far from stability and the astrophysical conditions that produce the heaviest elements. In particular, the 𝑁 = 126 shell closure plays a crucial role in shaping this peak. Experimental data hints that the shell weakens as proton number departs from 𝑍 = 82, a trend largely missed by...
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Falk Herwig (University of Victoria)29/05/2026, 09:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
The intermediate neutron-capture process (i process) produces a distinct pattern of rare isotopes at neutron densities between the s and r process. Two candidate sites with predicted rapid mass ejections in the solar neighborhood are post-AGB stars undergoing very-late thermal pulses (e.g. Sakurai's object) and rapidly-accreting white dwarfs (RAWDs). Our 1D and 3D simulations show that the...
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Khang Pham (Texas A&M University)29/05/2026, 09:40Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
One aim of the upcoming Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), to launch in 2027, is to measure the luminosity of gamma-rays from classical novae, presenting an exciting opportunity to constrain 18F abundance in these astrophysical phenomena. Models of classical novae have determined that nucleosynthesis and detectability of the explosion depend heavily upon the abundance of this isotope;...
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Pelagia Tsintari (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University)29/05/2026, 10:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
The synthesis of heavy elements in explosive stellar environments, such as core-collapse supernovae, is influenced by key nuclear reactions involving unstable nuclei. In neutron-rich conditions, the α-process -a sequence of (α,xn) reactions- plays a significant part in nucleosynthesis, whereas (p,n) reactions influence element formation in proton-rich conditions, during explosive silicon...
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Pavel Denisenkov (University of Victoria)29/05/2026, 10:50Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
We investigate the production of the long-lived radioactive isotope K-40
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in low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, with a focus on quantifying
the impact of stellar model and nuclear physics uncertainties. Potassium-40 is
a key contributor to radiogenic heating in terrestrial planets,
yet its stellar origin and galactic evolution remain insufficiently well constrained.
Using a... -
Gavin Fowler (University of Chicago)29/05/2026, 11:30Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Presolar grains help us to study the complex system of dying stars through their isotopic signatures. One important concept presolar grains help us explore is the neutron density and temperature of ejected material from AGB stars through measurements of isotopes impacted by s-process branching [1]. However, getting these grains is no simple task. Orgueil, a CI chondrite, contains ~10 ppm...
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Dr Daid Kahl (FRIB)30/05/2026, 09:00Invited talk (30min + 10min Q&A)
Nuclear reactions frequently involve radioactive species as one or both components in explosive astrophysical scenarios, such as (super)novae, Type I X-ray bursts, and neutron star mergers. The reaction rates involved in calculating the astronomical observables are frequently unknown or poorly constrained in the Gamow window, requiring both direct and indirect measurements with both stable...
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Chirag Rathi (Texas A&M University)30/05/2026, 09:40Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
Nuclear reaction rates in stars are determined from the folding of the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution with the reaction cross section. The latter quantity describes the likelihood of interaction of two particles at a particular energy. One of the main roles of nuclear physics in the field of nuclear astrophysics is to provide information about these cross sections.
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There are many direct and... -
Thomas Stephan (University of Chicago)30/05/2026, 10:00Contributed talk (15min + 5min Q&A)
We have measured carbon, nitrogen, zirconium, molybdenum, and barium isotopes in two large presolar graphite grains found in situ in sections of the CM2 carbonaceous chondrites Murchison and Maribo. Carbon and nitrogen were analyzed using nanometer-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), and heavy elements were measured by resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) with the...
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