Speaker
Hendrik Schatz
(National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, MSU)
Description
Accreting neutron stars in X-ray binaries provide a
unique laboratory for thermonuclear burning at extreme
temperature and density conditions. A range of newly
discovered, and largely puzzling, observables needs
to be understood and interpreted. A key in this
endeavor is the understanding of the underlying nuclear
physics of unstable nuclei that span the entire range
from the proton drip line to the neutron drip line.
X-ray bursts and the rp-process play a central role in
this context. I will discuss recent advances in our
unserstanding of these systems from the observational,
theoretical, and the experimental side. Concerning
the latter, particular attention is payed to advances
in the capabilities of radioactive beam facilities
such as the National Superconducting Cyclotron
laboratory at Michigan State University, where
indirect methods have been developed to better
constrain thermonuclear reaction rates at
X-ray burst conditions.
Author
Hendrik Schatz
(National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, MSU)
