We review the nuclear physics input necessary for the study of the collapse of massive stars as precursor to supernova explosions. Recent theoretical advances for the calculation of the relevant weak-interaction processes and their influence in the collapse and postbounce dynamics are discussed. Future improvements are expected to come with the advent of radioactive ion-beam facilities.
The fundamental processes by which nuclear energy is generated in the Sun have been known for many years. However, continuous progress in areas such as neutrino experiments, stellar spectroscopy and helioseismic data and techniques requires ever more accurate and precise determination of nuclear reaction cross sections, a fundamental physical input for solar models. In this work, we review the current status of (standard) solar models and present a detailed discussion on the relevance of nuclear reactions for detailed predictions of solar properties. In addition, we also provide an analytical model that helps understanding the relation between nuclear cross sections, neutrino fluxes and the possibility they offer for determining physical characteristics of the solar interior. The latter is of particular relevance in the context of the conundrum posed by the solar composition, the solar abundance problem, and in the light of the first ever direct detection of solar CN neutrinos recently obtained by the Borexino collaboration. Finally, we present a short list of wishes about the precision with which nuclear reaction rates should be determined to allow for further progress in our understanding of the Sun.
Two microscopic models, UrQMD and QGSM, were employed to study the formation of locally equilibrated hot and dense nuclear matter in heavy-ion collisions at energies from 11.6 AGeV to 160 AGeV. Analysis was performed for the fixed central cubic cell of volume V = 125 fm**3 and for the expanding cell which followed the growth of the central area with uniformly distributed energy. To decide whether or not the equilibrium was reached, results of the microscopic calculations were compared to that of the statistical thermal model. Both dynamical models indicate that the state of kinetic, thermal and chemical equilibrium is nearly approached at any bombarding energy after a certain relaxation period. The higher the energy, the shorter the relaxation time. Equation of state has a simple linear dependence P = a(sqrt{s})*e, where a = c_s**2 is the sound velocity squared. It varies from 0.12 pm 0.01 at E_{lab} = 11.6 AGeV to 0.145 pm 0.005 at E_{lab} = 160 AGeV. Change of the slope in a(sqrt{s}) behavior occurs at E_{lab} = 40 AGeV and can be assigned to the transition from baryon-rich to meson-dominated matter. The phase diagrams in the T - mu_B plane show the presence of kinks along the lines of constant entropy per baryon. These kinks are linked to the inelastic (i.e. chemical) freeze-out in the system.
Extensive calculations of properties of supernova matter are presented, using the extended Nuclear Statistical Equilibrium model of PRC92 055803 (2015) based on a statistical distribution of Wigner-Seitz cells modeled using realistic nuclear mass and level density tables, complemented with a non-relativistic Skyrme functional for unbound particles and beyond drip-line nuclei. Both thermodynamic quantities and matter composition are examined as a function of baryonic density, temperature, and proton fraction, within a large domain adapted for applications in supernova simulations. The results are also provided in the form of a table, with grid mesh and format compatible with the CompOSE platform [http://compose.obspm.fr/] for direct use in supernova simulations. Detailed comparisons are also presented with other existing databases, all based on relativistic mean-field functionals, and the differences between the different models are outlined. We show that the strongest impact on the predictions is due to the different hypotheses used to define the cluster functional and its modifications due to the presence of a nuclear medium.
We study the impact of neutrino-pair production from the de-excitation of highly excited heavy nuclei on core-collapse supernova simulations, following the evolution up to several 100 ms after core bounce. Our study is based on the AGILE-Boltztran supernova code, which features general relativistic radiation hydrodynamics and accurate three-flavor Boltzmann neutrino transport in spherical symmetry. In our simulations the nuclear de-excitation process is described in two different ways. At first we follow the approach proposed by Fuller and Meyer [Astrophys. J. 376,701 (1991)], which is based on strength functions derived in the framework of the nuclear Fermi-gas model of non-interacting nucleons. Secondly, we parametrize the allowed and forbidden strength distributions in accordance with measurements for selected nuclear ground states. We determine the de-excitation strength by applying the Brink hypothesis and detailed balance. For both approaches, we find that nuclear de-excitation has no effect on the supernova dynamics. However, we find that nuclear de-excitation is the leading source for the production of electron antineutrinos as well as heavy-lepton flavor (anti)neutrinos during the collapse phase. At sufficiently high densities, the associated neutrino spectra are influenced by interactions with the surrounding matter, making proper simulations of neutrino transport important for the determination of the neutrino-energy loss rate. We find that even including nuclear de-excitations, the energy loss during the collapse phase is overwhelmingly dominated by electron neutrinos produced by electron captures.
This report is an outcome of the workshop AI for Nuclear Physics held at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility on March 4-6, 2020. The workshop brought together 184 scientists to explore opportunities for Nuclear Physics in the area of Artificial Intelligence. The workshop consisted of plenary talks, as well as six working groups. The report includes the workshop deliberations and additional contributions to describe prospects for using AI across Nuclear Physics research.