Nuclear Astrophysics at TRIUMF-ISAC: Stellar Burning Reaction Studies with DRAGON and TUDA

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It is presently accepted that most of the chemical elements heavier than boron were produced in stars through nuclear reactions involving stable and radioactive nuclei and radioactive decays. Astrophysical models of the various stages of stellar evolution (e.g. quiescent burning, or explosive processes as seen in novae and supernovae) that contribute to this nucleosynthesis have recently become more advanced, enabling good predictions of astronomical observables. Examples of these are isotopic abundances frozen into dust grains that make up our solar system, gamma-ray fluxes from synthesized long-lived radionuclides, optical or x-ray luminosity etc. These quantities can be compared with astronomical observations, including those from orbiting gamma ray observatories or laboratory measurements on meteoric grains. This comparison is a powerful tool in the field of astrophysics and cosmology, giving us the most direct imaging technique of the nuclear processes inside stars and their explosions. In order to improve the models, and therefore advance our understanding of these powerful and mysterious stellar events, a precise knowledge of the nuclear reactions involved in energy generation and nucleosynthesis is required.