Nuclear astrophysics underground – Heide Costantini
Date: Tue. October 3rd, 2006, 11:30 am-12:30 pmLocation: Rockefeller 221
Cross section measurements for quiescent stellar burning are hampered mainly by extremely low counting rate and cosmic background. Some of the main reactions of H-burning phase have been measured at the LUNA facility (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) taking advantage of the very low background environment of the Underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. The adopted experimental techniques will be presented together with the latest results on the 14N(p,g)15O reaction and the status of the ongoing 3He(4He,g)7Be experiment. Furthermore a brief overview of the ALNA (Accelerator Laboratory for Nuclear Astrophysics underground) project, as a part of the new future Underground DUSEL laboratory in the USA, will be given describing the main goals and the different experimental phases.