Speaker
Description
Virtually all of the isotopes heavier than iron would not exist without neutron-induced reactions. Despite there importance in many different astrophysical scenarios, there are almost no direct measurements for isotopes with half-lives shorter than a few years. A radically new approach is necessary to overcome this constraint.
Ion storage rings offer unprecedented possibilities to investigate radioactive isotopes of astrophysical importance in inverse kinematics. During the last years, a series of pioneering experiments proofed the
feasibility of this concept for the fusion of charged particles at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) at GSI. More recently, first feasibility studies of a free-neutron target have been performed successfully. A
free-neutron target combined with an ion storage ring can bring the half-life limit for direct neutron-induced reactions down to fractions of a minute.
I will review different astrophysical scenarios, status of current experiments as well as prospects of this new experimental endeavor.