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

组成我们宇宙的元素，从氢到铀，是如何从大爆炸的碎片中合成的，这仍然是一个令人着迷的难题。虽然在解释轻同位素的产生方面取得了一些成功，但大部分较重元素的产生机制仍不清楚。基于正常的、静静燃烧的恒星的计算不能再现这些元素的观测丰度。人们认为，它们的产生至少有一部分发生在爆炸性的天体物理事件(超新星和x射线爆发等)期间。它们是由短暂的、处于核结合极限的放射性核素之间的核反应提供动力的。这些原子核的原子质量对于理解这些过程是必不可少的，因为它们决定了释放的能量，并决定了在这些事件中发生的核反应链的路径。

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.