How Rapid is the Rapid Neutron Capture Process?

Richard Hughes | 21-LW-032

Executive Summary

We will experimentally determine the neutron capture reaction rate for radioactive strontium-93 using the surrogate nuclear reaction approach with a radioactive beam. This will be the first experimentally constrained neutron capture reaction rate for a nucleus far from stability and will confirm or refute a reported factor of ten enhancement in this rate, potentially revising our understanding of nuclear processes in stars.