Karl-Ludwig Kratz Universität Mainz Email: [email protected] An interesting question in nuclear astrophysics is the fate of post X-ray burst matter. Once an accreting neutron star has undergone thermonuclear runaway, the ashes of the burst are forced down into the crust of the neutron star. With increasing density a volume element of matter undergoes a number of electron captures and neutron...

The paper by Belyaev [Phys. Rev. E 72, 026406 (2005)] reported the first experimental observation of alpha particles produced in the thermonuclear reaction 11B(p,alpha)8Be induced by laser irradiation on a 11B polyethylene (CH2) composite target. The laser used in the experiment is characterized by a picosecond pulse duration and a peak of intensity of 2x10(18) W/cm(2). We suggest that both the...

The application of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as distance indicators in cosmology calls for a sound understanding of these objects. Recent years have seen a brisk development of astrophysical models which explain SNe Ia as thermonuclear explosions of white dwarf stars. While the evolution of the progenitor is still uncertain, the explosion mechanism certainly involves the propagation of a ther...

The first solids that form as a cooling white dwarf (WD) starts to crystallize are expected be greatly enriched in actinides. This is because the melting points of WD matter scale Z5/3 and actinides have largest charge Z. We estimate may so they could support fission chain reaction. reaction ignite carbon burning lead explosion an isolated thermonuclear supernova (SN Ia). Our mechanism potentia...

The energy deposition of the thermonuclear target explosion products in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) reactors, i.e., ion debris and X-rays and the resulting thermal response of first wall materials, is calculated using the computer code ATEN. Models to accurately simulate the ion and X-ray energy deposition and the consequent response of the wall are implemented in the code. Simultaneous m...

For the ignition of a thermonuclear detonation wave assisted by a strong magnetic field, it is proposed to use two concentrically nested magnetically insulated transmission lines, the inner one transmitting a highvoltage lower-current-, and the outer one a high-current lower-voltageelectromagnetic pulse drawn from two Marx generators. The concept has the potential of large thermonuclear gains w...

We discuss the results of 3D simulations of tidal disruptions of white dwarfs by moderate-mass black holes as they may exist in the cores of globular clusters or dwarf galaxies. Our simulations follow self-consistently the hydrodynamic and nuclear evolution from the initial parabolic orbit over the disruption to the build-up of an accretion disk around the black hole. For strong enough encounte...

Introduction: Neutron beams are useful for many applications, from noninvasive imaging and characterization of materials to producing medical isotopes and detecting hidden explosive devices. Some applications require high-energy neutrons created in fusion nuclear reactions between deuterium (D) and tritium (T). To achieve thermal fusion, deuterium or DT plasma must be heated to about 10 8 K, wh...