Cauldrons in the Cosmos

Nuclear Astrophysics

By: Claus E. Rolfs, William S. Rodney

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Paperback | 1 August 2005 | Edition Number 1

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580 Pages

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2.39 x 1.71 x 0.33

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Nuclear astrophysics is, in essence, a science that attempts to understand and explain the physical universe beyond the Earth by studying its smallest particles. Cauldrons in the Cosmos, by Claus E. Rolfs and William S. Rodney, serves as a basic introduction to these endeavors. From the major discoveries in the field to a discussion of the makeup of stars to an explanation of standard lab techniques, this text provides students and scientists alike a thorough and fascinating survey of the accomplishments, goals, and methods of nuclear astrophysics. A classic in its field, Cauldrons in the Cosmos will surely remain an important reference in nuclear astrophysics for years to come.

"One could not wish for a better account of the current state of knowledge (and uncertainty) about nuclear reactions in stars."—B. E. J. Pagel, Nature

"Written in an informal style that those uninitiated into the jargon of nuclear astrophysics and astronomy will find readable and illuminating. . . . A useful and long-awaited introduction to nuclear astrophysics."—G. J. Mathews, Science

Industry Reviews

"An excellent and very readable introduction to the full range of ideas, observations/data, and experimental methods of nuclear astrophysics.... The authors are to be congratulated for capturing both the excitement and the exacting, quantitative essence of nuclear astrophysics." - Peter D. Parker, American Scientist "One could not wish for a better account of the current state of knowledge (and uncertainty) about nuclear reactions in stars." - B. E. J. Pagel, Nature "Written in an informal style that those uninitiated into the jargon of nuclear astrophysics and astronomy will find readable and illuminating.... A useful and long-awaited introduction to nuclear astrophysics." - G. J. Mathews, Science"

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Non-Fiction Science Physics Applied Physics Astrophysics Nature & The Natural World Popular Astronomy & Space Nuclear Physics Miscellaneous Items Science in General Astronomy, Space & Time

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Astronomy-Observing the Universe	p. 1
Observational Techniques	p. 3
Optical Astronomy	p. 3
Radio Astronomy	p. 7
Space Astronomy	p. 10
Observed Structures in the Cosmos	p. 12
The Solar System	p. 13
Normal Stars and Clusters of Stars	p. 15
Unusual Stars	p. 19
Eclipsing Stars	p. 19
Eruptive Stars	p. 19
Pulsating Stars	p. 22
Planetary Nebulae	p. 25
X-Ray Stars	p. 27
Our Galaxy-the Milky Way	p. 28
Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies	p. 31
Radio Galaxies and Quasars	p. 37
The Universe	p. 41
Selected General Properties of the Universe	p. 41
Observed Abundances of the Elements	p. 41
The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram	p. 45
Mass-Luminosity Relation of Main-Sequence Stars	p. 46
The Expansion of the Universe and Hubble's Law	p. 48
The Universal Background Radiation	p. 51
Quasars as Probes of the Distant Universe	p. 53
Astrophysics-Explaining the Universe	p. 55
Big-Bang Cosmology	p. 56
Standard Cosmological Models	p. 56
Basic Physics and Dynamics of the Standard Big-Bang Model	p. 58
Evolution of the Early Universe	p. 63
Versions of the Big-Bang Universe	p. 67
The Beginning of the Standard Universe	p. 69
Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry and the Origin of Baryons	p. 71
The Inflationary Universe	p. 77
Nucleosynthesis in the Early Universe	p. 85
The Quest for Light-Element Creation	p. 85
Ashes of the Primeval Big Bang	p. 86
Implications of Primordial Nucleosynthesis	p. 89
The Formation of Galaxies	p. 91
Physical State of the Stellar Interior	p. 92
Hydrostatic Equilibrium	p. 93
Equation of State of Normal Stars	p. 94
Effects of the Chemical Composition	p. 96
Stored Energy of a Star	p. 97
Thermal Equilibrium	p. 99
Energy Transport Mechanisms	p. 100
Magnitude of Stellar Luminosities	p. 102
The Mass-Luminosity Relation and Stellar Lifetimes	p. 103
Stellar Stability	p. 103
Equation of State for Degenerate Matter	p. 104
Theory of White Dwarfs	p. 107
Neutron Stars	p. 108
Black Holes	p. 110
The Lives of the Stars	p. 112
Birth of Stars in Interstellar Clouds	p. 113
From Nebulae to the Main Sequence	p. 115
Main-Sequence Stars	p. 116
Endpoints of Stellar Evolution	p. 117
The Origin of the Chemical Elements	p. 121
Evolution of Binary Systems	p. 123
Effects of Gravity on Stars in Contact	p. 123
The Nova Phenomenon	p. 125
X-Ray Stars	p. 127
Supernovae of Type I	p. 130
Definitions and General Characteristics of Thermonuclear Reactions	p. 133
Source of Nuclear Energy	p. 134
Cross Section	p. 137
Stellar Reaction Rate	p. 139
Mean Lifetime	p. 141
Maxwell-Boltzmann Velocity Distribution	p. 142
Inverse Reactions	p. 144
Energy Production	p. 149
Determination of Stellar Reaction Rates	p. 150
Neutron-Induced Nonresonant Reactions	p. 150
Charged-Particle-Induced Nonresonant Reactions	p. 153
Reactions through Isolated and Narrow Resonances	p. 169
Reactions through Broad Resonances	p. 178
Subthreshold Resonances	p. 185
Summary	p. 188
Laboratory Equipment and Techniques in Nuclear Astrophysics	p. 190
Ion Beams	p. 191
Ion Sources and Beam Formation	p. 192
Electron-Impact Ion Source	p. 192
Arc-Discharge Ion Source	p. 194
Duo-Plasmatron Ion Source	p. 195
Penning Ion Source	p. 196
RF Ion Source	p. 197
Hollow-Cathode Ion Source	p. 197
Sputter Ion Source	p. 198
Accelerators	p. 200
Van de Graaff Accelerator	p. 201
Cockcroft-Walton Accelerator	p. 204
Dynamitron Accelerator	p. 206
Tandem Accelerator	p. 206
Cyclotron	p. 208
Linac	p. 209
Beam Transport System	p. 210
Analysis of Beam Properties	p. 221
Beam Integration	p. 226
Target Features and Target Chambers	p. 231
Solid Targets	p. 231
Gas Targets	p. 242
Detectors	p. 250
Detectors for Heavy Charged Particles	p. 253
Neutron Detectors	p. 260
Gamma-Ray Detectors	p. 261
Detection Techniques	p. 270
Electronics and Data Acquisition	p. 270
Detection of Reaction Products	p. 271
Activity Method	p. 284
Time-of-Flight Techniques	p. 287
Experimental Procedures and Data Reduction	p. 289
Cross Section and Yield of Nuclear Reactions	p. 289
Factors Affecting the Reaction Yield	p. 292
Reaction Yield and Experimental Observation	p. 295
Measurement of Excitation Functions	p. 296
Measurement of Angular Distributions	p. 301
Absolute Cross Section and Resonance Strength	p. 302
Some Future Techniques	p. 310
Detection of Recoil Nuclei in Capture Reactions	p. 310
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry	p. 317
Radioactive Ion Beams	p. 319
Storage Rings	p. 324
Hydrogen Burning	p. 327
The Proton-Proton Chain	p. 328
Theoretical Cross Section for the p + p Reaction	p. 328
Burning of Deuterium	p. 338
Burning of [superscript 3]He and Completion of the p-p-I Chain	p. 340
Stellar Fates of [superscript 7]Be	p. 346
The Three p-p Chains	p. 352
Laboratory Approach to p-p Chain Reactions	p. 356
The d(p, [gamma])[superscript 3] He Reaction	p. 356
The [superscript 3]He([superscript 3]He, 2p)[superscript 4]He Reaction	p. 358
The Capture Reaction [superscript 3]He([alpha], [gamma])[superscript 7]Be	p. 360
Termination of the p-p Chains II and III	p. 362
Processes Involving the Weak Force	p. 364
The CNO Cycles	p. 365
The CN Cycle	p. 367
The CNO Bi-cycle	p. 369
The Discovery of Additional Cycles	p. 371
Consequences of the CNO Cycles	p. 374
Other Cycles	p. 375
The NeNa Cycle	p. 376
The MgAl Cycle	p. 379
Elemental Abundances	p. 381
Helium Burning	p. 384
The Detour around the Mass Stability Gaps, and the Creation of [superscript 12]C	p. 387
The Survival of [superscript 12]C in Red Giants	p. 395
Expected Properties of the [superscript 12]C([alpha], [gamma])[superscript 16]O Reaction	p. 395
Measurements of the [superscript 12]C([alpha], [gamma])[superscript 16]O Reaction	p. 401
Elemental Abundances	p. 404
The Blocking of Quiescent Helium Burning	p. 406
Other Helium-Burning Reactions	p. 408
Perspectives on Helium-Burning Reactions	p. 410
Advanced and Explosive Burning	p. 413
Quiescent Heavy-Ion Burning	p. 414
Absorption under the Barrier	p. 418
Intermediate Structure in the Continuum	p. 421
Gross Energy Dependence	p. 422
Silicon Burning	p. 423
The Photodisintegration Era	p. 424
Photodisintegration in Silicon Burning	p. 428
The Nuclear Physics of Silicon Burning	p. 431
The Final Bursts of Nucleosynthesis in Massive Stars	p. 436
The Inner Structure of a Presupernova Star	p. 436
Theories of Supernovae of Type II	p. 439
Explosive Nucleosynthesis	p. 445
Nuclear Physics Aspects of Explosive Burning	p. 448
Nucleosynthesis beyond Iron	p. 449
The Quest for the Origin of the Trans-Iron Elements	p. 449
Neutron-Capture Cross Sections	p. 451
Basic Mechanisms for Nucleosynthesis beyond Iron	p. 457
The s-Process	p. 461
The r-Process	p. 469
Nucleocosmochronology-the Age of the Chemical Elements	p. 477
Miscellaneous Topics	p. 490
The Case of the Missing Solar Neutrinos	p. 490
The Quest	p. 490
The Standard Solar Model	p. 491
Detection of Solar Neutrinos	p. 493
Suggested Solutions	p. 496
Isotopic Anomalies and the Early History of the Solar System	p. 498
The Homogeneous Isotopic Composition	p. 498
The Discovery of Isotopic Anomalies	p. 501
Oxygen Isotopic Anomalies	p. 502
Magnesium and the Discovery of Extinct [superscript 26]Al	p. 504
Neon and Extinct [superscript 22]Na	p. 506
Conclusions	p. 507
The Origin of the Light Elements Li, Be, and B	p. 508
The Problem	p. 508
Properties of Galactic Cosmic Rays	p. 510
Production of Li, Be, and B via Spallation	p. 512
Epilogue	p. 515
Notation and Units	p. 517
References	p. 523
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Cauldrons in the Cosmos

Nuclear Astrophysics

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

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You Can Find This Book In

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