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Further Reading — Chapter 23

Textbooks

  • Iliadis, C. Nuclear Physics of Stars, 2nd ed. (Wiley-VCH, 2015). Chapters 5 and 11 provide a thorough treatment of explosive nucleosynthesis and the s-process/r-process, with detailed reaction network formalism. The standard graduate-level reference for nuclear astrophysics.

  • Rolfs, C.E. and Rodney, W.S. Cauldrons in the Cosmos (University of Chicago Press, 1988). A classic introduction to nuclear astrophysics. Chapter 7 covers the s-process and r-process. Somewhat dated on astrophysical sites but the nuclear physics remains excellent.

  • Clayton, D.D. Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis (University of Chicago Press, 1983). The foundational textbook by one of the pioneers of nucleosynthesis theory. Chapter 7 on the s-process is particularly clear.

  • Krane, K.S. Introductory Nuclear Physics (Wiley, 1987). Chapter 19 provides a concise introduction to nuclear astrophysics at the advanced undergraduate level.

The Foundational Papers

  • Burbidge, E.M., Burbidge, G.R., Fowler, W.A., and Hoyle, F. "Synthesis of the Elements in Stars," Reviews of Modern Physics 29, 547 (1957). The legendary B$^2$FH paper that laid the foundation for nuclear astrophysics, including the first systematic description of the s-process and r-process. One of the most cited papers in physics.

  • Cameron, A.G.W. "Nuclear Reactions in Stars and Nucleogenesis," Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 69, 201 (1957). Cameron's independent (and nearly simultaneous) synthesis of nucleosynthesis theory.

GW170817 and Multi-Messenger Astronomy

  • Abbott, B.P. et al. "GW170817: Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Neutron Star Inspiral," Physical Review Letters 119, 161101 (2017). The gravitational-wave detection paper. Essential reading.

  • Abbott, B.P. et al. "Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger," The Astrophysical Journal Letters 848, L12 (2017). The multi-messenger overview paper coordinating all observations. An extraordinary document with 4,500+ authors.

  • Watson, D. et al. "Identification of strontium in the merger of two neutron stars," Nature 574, 497 (2019). The spectroscopic identification of strontium in the kilonova AT 2017gfo.

  • Metzger, B.D. "Kilonovae," Living Reviews in Relativity 20, 3 (2017). A comprehensive review of kilonova theory published before GW170817 — and vindicated by it.

  • Metzger, B.D. et al. "Electromagnetic counterparts of compact object mergers powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei," Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 406, 2650 (2010). The paper that predicted kilonovae from r-process radioactive heating.

The s-Process

  • Busso, M., Gallino, R., and Wasserburg, G.J. "Nucleosynthesis in Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars: Relevance for Galactic Enrichment and Solar System Formation," Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 37, 239 (1999). A comprehensive review of s-process nucleosynthesis in AGB stars.

  • Kaeppeler, F. et al. "The s process: Nuclear physics, stellar models, and observations," Reviews of Modern Physics 83, 157 (2011). The definitive modern review of s-process nuclear physics and astrophysics.

The r-Process

  • Cowan, J.J., Sneden, C., Lawler, J.E. et al. "Origin of the heaviest elements: The rapid neutron-capture process," Reviews of Modern Physics 93, 015002 (2021). The most comprehensive modern review of r-process nucleosynthesis, covering nuclear physics, astrophysics, and observations. Highly recommended.

  • Sneden, C., Cowan, J.J., and Gallino, R. "Neutron-Capture Elements in the Early Galaxy," Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 46, 241 (2008). Review of r-process signatures in metal-poor stars, including the universality of the r-process abundance pattern.

  • Horowitz, C.J. et al. "r-process nucleosynthesis: connecting rare-isotope beam facilities with the cosmos," Journal of Physics G 46, 083001 (2019). A review connecting rare-isotope beam experiments (FRIB, RIKEN, FAIR) to r-process theory.

Cosmochronology

  • Cayrel, R. et al. "Measurement of stellar age from uranium decay," Nature 409, 691 (2001). The first uranium detection in a metal-poor star, enabling direct Th/U age dating.

  • Schatz, H. et al. "Thorium and Uranium Chronometers Applied to CS 31082-001," The Astrophysical Journal 579, 626 (2002). Detailed application of nuclear cosmochronology.

Supernovae

  • Janka, H.-T. "Explosion Mechanisms of Core-Collapse Supernovae," Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 62, 407 (2012). An authoritative review of the neutrino-driven explosion mechanism.

  • Bethe, H.A. "Supernova mechanisms," Reviews of Modern Physics 62, 801 (1990). A masterful review by one of the founders of nuclear astrophysics. Bethe's physical insight is unmatched.

  • Hillebrandt, W. and Niemeyer, J.C. "Type Ia Supernova Explosion Models," Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 38, 191 (2000). Comprehensive review of thermonuclear supernova physics.

Nuclear Data Resources

  • KADoNiS (Karlsruhe Astrophysical Database of Nucleosynthesis in Stars): https://www.kadonis.org/ — Maxwellian-averaged neutron capture cross sections for s-process calculations.

  • NUBASE / AME (Atomic Mass Evaluation): https://www-nds.iaea.org/amdc/ — Nuclear masses, half-lives, and decay modes for all known nuclides.

  • JINA REACLIB: https://reaclib.jinaweb.org/ — Nuclear reaction rates for astrophysical calculations.

  • FRIB / National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory: https://frib.msu.edu/ — The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University.