快中子俘获过程中的核物理研究：基于形变相对论连续谱理论的原子核质量表

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。引力波事件GW170817表明双中子星并合是重元素合成可能的天体环境，但是快中子俘获过程发生的天体环境还不能唯一确定。另一方面，重元素合成所需的核物理输入量有很大的不确定性。在已结题的国家自然科学基金重点项目支持下，项目组基于微观的相对论密度泛函理论，构建了迄今唯一考虑连续谱的原子核质量表。本项目结合最新的天文观测结果和实验数据以及上述成果，对快中子俘获过程中的核物理进行深入研究，主要内容包括：基于协变密度泛函理论，考虑形变效应和连续谱效应，构建高精度的原子核质量表；在双中子星并合等天体环境下，利用动态网络方程研究快中子俘获过程中的重元素合成；探讨核物理和天文观测不确定性对快中子俘获过程的影响。通过本项目研究，将建立首个考虑形变效应和连续谱效应的原子核质量表，给出可靠的快中子俘获过程核物理输入量，力图解决元素起源这一基本科学问题。

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. The observation of gravitational wave event GW170817 suggested that the binary neutron star merger is a possible astrophysical site for the synthesis of heavy elements. However, the astrophysical sites of the rapid neutron-capture process, or r-process, are not exclusively identified. On the other hand, there are large uncertainties in the nuclear physics quantities required for heavy element synthesis. With the support of the previous Key project of Natural Science Foundation of China, based on the microscopic relativistic density functional theory, the team has constructed the unique nuclear mass table including the continuum effect. Combining the above achievements and the latest astronomical observations and data, this project is proposed to further investigate nuclear physics in r-process. The main investigation includes: to construct a highly accurate nuclear mass table that is based on the covariant density functional theory and takes both the deformation effect and the continuum effect into account; to investigate the synthesis of heavy elements in r-process by dynamical nuclear reaction network in astrophysical sites, such as binary neutron star merger; to explore the influence of the uncertainties in nuclear physics inputs and in the astrophysical sites on the r-process abundances. The project is intended to establish the first nuclear mass table with both the deformation effect and the continuum effect, to provide reliable nuclear physics quantities for r-process, and to explore the origin of elements.