天体快中子俘获过程中的核物理研究

从铁到铀的元素起源是21世纪物理和天文学面临的重大问题之一。虽然快中子俘获过程(简称快过程)早在50多年前就被提出为重元素合成的主要机制之一，但目前对它还没有完全理解。一方面，快过程发生的天体环境还不能完全确定；另一方面，描述它所需的核物理输入量有很大的不确定性。随着世界范围内新一代放射性核束装置的兴建与发展，快过程中的核物理研究已成为重要的科学前沿课题。本项目结合当前国内外的研究现状和申请人的工作基础，对天体快过程中的核物理进行研究，主要内容包括：基于协变密度泛函理论系统研究丰中子核性质；建立相应的质量表并研究β衰变寿命，建立初步的出微观、自洽的核物理输入量数据库；发展动态快过程模型，深入研究核物理和天文观测不确定性对快过程的影响等。通过本项目研究，将为核物理及核天体物理研究提供进一步的理论支持，给出可靠的快过程核物理输入量，加深对元素起源这一基本科学问题的理解。

The origin of the heavy elements from iron to uranium is one of the most fundamental problems in physics and astronomy in the 21st century. Even though the rapid neutron-capture process, or r-process, has been proposed as one of the dominant mechanisms for producing the heavy elements for more than 50 years, the knowledge for the site(s) of r-process and the properties of neutron-rich exotic nuclei are far from a complete understanding of r-process nucleosynthesis, despite a myriad of experimental and theoretical efforts. With the construction and development of the new generation of radioactive ion beam facilities worldwide, the nuclear physics of the r-process has become an important frontier. This project is proposed to investigate the nuclear physics problems in r-process, based on the current research status in nuclear physics and astrophysics as well as the achievements and experiences of the applicants. The main investigation contents include: the neutron-rich nuclear structure based on the covariant density functional theory; the corresponding nuclear mass and beta decay half-live as a nuclear database for r-process; a dynamic r-process model to further investigate the influence of the nuclear physical and astronomical uncertainties on r-process abundances. The project is intended to provide further theoretical support to research in nuclear physics and nuclear astrophysics, promote the worldwide investigation of r-process and understand the origin of the elements.