WILEY-VCH Verlag, Weinheim, 2007, 666 pages
Thermonuclear reactions in stars is a major topic in the field of nuclear astrophysics, and deals with the topics of how precisely stars generate their energy through nuclear reactions, and how these nuclear reactions create the elements the stars, planets and–ultimately–we humans consist of. The present book treats these topics in detail. It also presents the nuclear reaction and structure theory, thermonuclear reaction rate formalism and stellar nucleosynthesis. The topics are discussed in a coherent way, enabling the reader to grasp their interconnections intuitively. The book serves both as a textbook, with many examples and end-of-chapter exercises, but also as a reference book for use by researchers working in the field of nuclear astrophysics.
The present book is directed toward advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers in the fields of nuclear physics and astrophysics. Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts in nuclear physics and stellar evolution. Chapter 2 develops the theory of nuclear reactions starting from basic quantum mechanical ideas. Nuclear processes in a stellar plasma are discussed in Chapter
3. Chapter 4 contains the most important experimental information needed in order to perform measurements in nuclear astrophysics. Chapter 5 provides a discussion of the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. The appendices contain sections on basic solutions of the Schrodinger equation, angular momentum selection rules, kinematics, and the theory of angular correlations. At the end of the text, physical constants, mathematical symbols and physical quantities are listed as an aid for the reader. As a prerequisite, the student should have taken an undergraduate course in mode physics with elementary coverage of wave functions. An undergraduate course in quantum mechanics or nuclear physics would also be helpful, but is not required.
Thermonuclear reactions in stars is a major topic in the field of nuclear astrophysics, and deals with the topics of how precisely stars generate their energy through nuclear reactions, and how these nuclear reactions create the elements the stars, planets and–ultimately–we humans consist of. The present book treats these topics in detail. It also presents the nuclear reaction and structure theory, thermonuclear reaction rate formalism and stellar nucleosynthesis. The topics are discussed in a coherent way, enabling the reader to grasp their interconnections intuitively. The book serves both as a textbook, with many examples and end-of-chapter exercises, but also as a reference book for use by researchers working in the field of nuclear astrophysics.
The present book is directed toward advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers in the fields of nuclear physics and astrophysics. Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts in nuclear physics and stellar evolution. Chapter 2 develops the theory of nuclear reactions starting from basic quantum mechanical ideas. Nuclear processes in a stellar plasma are discussed in Chapter
3. Chapter 4 contains the most important experimental information needed in order to perform measurements in nuclear astrophysics. Chapter 5 provides a discussion of the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. The appendices contain sections on basic solutions of the Schrodinger equation, angular momentum selection rules, kinematics, and the theory of angular correlations. At the end of the text, physical constants, mathematical symbols and physical quantities are listed as an aid for the reader. As a prerequisite, the student should have taken an undergraduate course in mode physics with elementary coverage of wave functions. An undergraduate course in quantum mechanics or nuclear physics would also be helpful, but is not required.