Sensitivity of astrophysical reaction rates to nuclear uncertainties

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nuclear reaction rates in astrophysics are affected by uncertainties in nuclear properties across a wide range of nuclei, providing insights into improving reaction rate predictions.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive analysis of the sensitivities of nuclear reaction rates to nuclear property variations for a broad set of nuclei, including methods to reduce uncertainties.

Findings

Reaction rates show significant sensitivity to nuclear property uncertainties.

Laboratory cross section measurements can help constrain astrophysical reaction rates.

Procedures are proposed to improve reaction rate predictions using sensitivity data.

Abstract

Sensitivities of nuclear reaction rates to a variation of nuclear properties are studied. Target nuclei range from proton- to neutron-dripline for 10<=Z<=83. Reactions considered are nucleon- and alpha-induced reactions mediated by the strong interaction. The contribution of reactions proceeding on the target ground state to the total stellar rate is also given. General dependences on various input quantities are discussed. Additionally, sensitivities of laboratory cross sections of nucleon-, alpha-, and gamma-induced reactions are shown, allowing to estimate the impact of cross section measurements. Finally, recommended procedures to explore and improve reaction rate uncertainties using the present sensitivity data are outlined.