Mass measurements among stable and unstable nuclei using the Canadian Penning TSrap mass spectrometer

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How the elements, from hydrogen to uranium, that make up our universe, were synthesized from the debris of the big bang continues to be a fascinating conundrum. While some success has been achieved in explaining the production of the light isotopes the mechanisms responsible for the production of the bulk of the heavier elements are still not clear. Calculations based on normal, quietly burning stars do not reproduce the observed abundances for these elements. It is thought that at least part of their production took place during explosive astrophysical events (supernovae and x-ray bursts etc.) that are powered by nuclear reactions among short-lived, radioactive nuclides at the limits of nuclear binding. The atomic masses of these nuclei are essential to understanding these processes because they determine the energy released and determine the path of the nuclear reaction chains that take place in these events.