BAYESIAN ESTIMATION OF THERMONUCLEAR REACTION RATES

ABSTRACT The problem of estimating non-resonant astrophysical S-factors and thermonuclear reaction rates, based on measured nuclear cross sections, is of major interest for nuclear energy generation, neutrino physics, and element synthesis. Many different methods have been applied to this problem in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2016-11, Vol.831 (1), p.107
Main Authors: Iliadis, C., Anderson, K. S., Coc, A., Timmes, F. X., Starrfield, S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Astronomy & Astrophysics
ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
Astrophysics
Bayesian analysis
Beryllium
Beryllium 7
Big bang cosmology
Deuterium
Extrasolar planets
Gravitational waves
Gravity waves
methods: numerical
Nuclear cross sections
Nuclear electric power generation
Nuclear energy
Nuclear engineering
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear physics
nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances
Nuclear reactors
Nuclear Theory
Nuclei (nuclear physics)
Parameter estimation
Parameter robustness
Physical sciences
Physics
primordial nucleosynthesis
Solar neutrinos
stars: interiors
Statistical methods
Statistics
Supernovae
Thermonuclear reactions
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT The problem of estimating non-resonant astrophysical S-factors and thermonuclear reaction rates, based on measured nuclear cross sections, is of major interest for nuclear energy generation, neutrino physics, and element synthesis. Many different methods have been applied to this problem in the past, almost all of them based on traditional statistics. Bayesian methods, on the other hand, are now in widespread use in the physical sciences. In astronomy, for example, Bayesian statistics is applied to the observation of extrasolar planets, gravitational waves, and Type Ia supernovae. However, nuclear physics, in particular, has been slow to adopt Bayesian methods. We present astrophysical S-factors and reaction rates based on Bayesian statistics. We develop a framework that incorporates robust parameter estimation, systematic effects, and non-Gaussian uncertainties in a consistent manner. The method is applied to the reactions d(p,γ)3He, 3He(3He,2p)4He, and 3He( ,γ)7Be, important for deuterium burning, solar neutrinos, and Big Bang nucleosynthesis.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/0004-637X/831/1/107