Alternative evaluations of halos in nuclei

Data for the scattering of 6He, 8He, 9Li, and 11Li from hydrogen are analyzed within a fully microscopic folding model of proton-nucleus scattering. Current data suggest that of these only 11Li has a noticeable halo. For 6He, we have also analysed the complementary reaction 6Li(gamma,pi)6He(gs). The available data for that reaction support the hypothesis that 6He may not be a halo nucleus. However, those data are scarce and there is clearly a need for more to elicit the microscopic structure of 6He.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures (added 4 figures), added reference. Version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Pion interaction with the trinucleon up to the eta production threshold

Pion elastic, charge exchange scattering and induced eta production on the trinucleon systems are investigated in a coupled-channels approach in momentum space with Fadeev wave functions. The channel $\pi N \rightarrow \eta N$ is included using an isobar model with S-, P-, and D-wave resonances. While the coherent reactions like $^3$He($\pi,\pi)^3$He can be reasonably well reproduced up to $T_{\pi}$=500 MeV, large discrepancies appear for the incoherent processes, $^3$He($\pi^-,\pi^0)^3$H and $^3$He($\pi^-,\eta)^3$H at backward angles and energies above $\Delta$-resonance. In the forward direction the $(\pi,\eta)$ calculations underestimate the experimental measurements very close to threshold but agreement with the data improves with increasing pion energy. Predictions are made for the asymmetries of the various reactions on polarized $^3$He.Comment: 40 pages, 12 figures (available from the authors), Mainz preprint MKPH-T-92-1

Muon capture by 3He nuclei followed by proton and deuteron production

The paper describes an experiment aimed at studying muon capture by ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ nuclei in pure ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $\mathrm{D}_2 + {}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ mixtures at various densities. Energy distributions of protons and deuterons produced via $\mu^-+{}^{3}\mathrm{He}\to p+n+n + \nu_{\mu }$ and $\mu^-+{}^{3} \mathrm{He} \to d+n + \nu_{\mu}$ are measured for the energy intervals $10 - 49$ MeV and $13 - 31$ MeV, respectively. Muon capture rates, $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^p (\Delta E_p)$ and $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^d (\Delta E_d)$ are obtained using two different analysis methods. The least--squares methods gives $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^p = (36.7\pm 1.2) {s}^{- 1}$, $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^d = (21.3 \pm 1.6) {s}^{- 1}$. The Bayes theorem gives $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^p = (36.8 \pm 0.8) {s}^{- 1}$, $\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^d = (21.9 \pm 0.6) {s}^{- 1}$. The experimental differential capture rates, $d\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^p (E_p) / dE_p$ and $d\lambda_\mathrm{cap}^d (E_d) / dE_d$, are compared with theoretical calculations performed using the plane--wave impulse approximation (PWIA) with the realistic NN interaction Bonn B potential. Extrapolation to the full energy range yields total proton and deuteron capture rates in good agreement with former results.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Induced pseudoscalar coupling of the proton weak interaction

The induced pseudoscalar coupling $g_p$ is the least well known of the weak coupling constants of the proton's charged--current interaction. Its size is dictated by chiral symmetry arguments, and its measurement represents an important test of quantum chromodynamics at low energies. During the past decade a large body of new data relevant to the coupling $g_p$ has been accumulated. This data includes measurements of radiative and non radiative muon capture on targets ranging from hydrogen and few--nucleon systems to complex nuclei. Herein the authors review the theoretical underpinnings of $g_p$, the experimental studies of $g_p$, and the procedures and uncertainties in extracting the coupling from data. Current puzzles are highlighted and future opportunities are discussed.Comment: 58 pages, Latex, Revtex4, prepared for Reviews of Modern Physic

Nuclear astrophysics: the unfinished quest for the origin of the elements

Half a century has passed since the foundation of nuclear astrophysics. Since then, this discipline has reached its maturity. Today, nuclear astrophysics constitutes a multidisciplinary crucible of knowledge that combines the achievements in theoretical astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry and nuclear physics. New tools and developments have revolutionized our understanding of the origin of the elements: supercomputers have provided astrophysicists with the required computational capabilities to study the evolution of stars in a multidimensional framework; the emergence of high-energy astrophysics with space-borne observatories has opened new windows to observe the Universe, from a novel panchromatic perspective; cosmochemists have isolated tiny pieces of stardust embedded in primitive meteorites, giving clues on the processes operating in stars as well as on the way matter condenses to form solids; and nuclear physicists have measured reactions near stellar energies, through the combined efforts using stable and radioactive ion beam facilities. This review provides comprehensive insight into the nuclear history of the Universe and related topics: starting from the Big Bang, when the ashes from the primordial explosion were transformed to hydrogen, helium, and few trace elements, to the rich variety of nucleosynthesis mechanisms and sites in the Universe. Particular attention is paid to the hydrostatic processes governing the evolution of low-mass stars, red giants and asymptotic giant-branch stars, as well as to the explosive nucleosynthesis occurring in core-collapse and thermonuclear supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, classical novae, X-ray bursts, superbursts, and stellar mergers.Comment: Invited Review. Accepted for publication in "Reports on Progress in Physics" (version with low-resolution figures