Observational Signatures of the R-ProcessONLINE ONLY

The rapid neutron capture process is responsible for the production of a significant fraction of the elements heavier than iron. The detailed nucleosynthetic production patterns of the r-process are not well understood, not only because the environments where the r-process occurs are difficult to simulate, but also because the r-process occurs far from stability, where nuclear structure properties are not experimentally measured.

Observational signatures have the potential to constrain the r-process, but detailed modeling is required to connect these signatures to fundamental nuclear physics. In this talk, I will discuss some of my work improving these models, including the detailed
spectral emission profiles resultant from nuclear beta decay, the characteristic gamma-ray signatures of different r-process types, and the effects of nuclear isomers.