Improved predictions of nuclear reaction rates with the TALYS reaction code for astrophysical applications

Understand

Nuclear reaction rates of astrophysical applications are traditionally determined on the basis of Hauser-Feshbach reaction codes.

• These codes adopt a number of approximations that have never been tested, such as a simplified width fluctuation correction, the neglect of delayed or multiple-particle emission during the electromagnetic decay cascade, or the absence of the pre-equilibrium contribution at increasing incident energies.
• The reaction code TALYS has been recently updated to estimate the Maxwellian-averaged reaction rates that are of astrophysical relevance.
• These new developments enable the reaction rates to be calculated with increased accuracy and reliability and the approximations of previous codes to be investigated.