by
Prof.Gianluca Imbriani
(Universita' di Napoli Federico II)
→
Europe/Rome
Ex-ISEF/Building-Main Lecture Hall (GSSI)
Ex-ISEF/Building-Main Lecture Hall
GSSI
20
Description
Many of the physical processes that govern stellar evolution occur in environments that cannot be accessed directly. For this reason, laboratory experiments play a crucial role in astrophysics, in particular in the study of nuclear fusion reactions, which power stars, drive nucleosynthesis, and control stellar energy generation and neutrino emission. The quantitative understanding of these reactions forms the core of nuclear astrophysics.
A major experimental challenge is that stellar fusion reactions take place at very low energies, far below the Coulomb barrier, where quantum tunneling dominates and reaction cross sections become extremely small. Direct measurements are therefore strongly limited by background signals arising from cosmic rays, environmental radioactivity, and beam-induced reactions.
In this lecture, I will present two complementary experimental approaches developed to overcome these limitations. The first exploits accelerator facilities located deep underground, where the cosmic-ray background is drastically reduced, as demonstrated by the LUNA experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. The second relies on advanced detection systems, such as recoil mass separators, which enhance selectivity and background suppression and allow precise measurements of radiative capture reactions. Together, these methods provide key experimental access to the nuclear processes that fuel the stars.
Nuclear Astrophysics Explained: The Alchemy of the Cosmos Seminar Series