How were the heavy elements from iron to uranium made?
Scientist’s understanding of the production of elements up to iron in stars and supernovae is fairly complete, but the precise origin of the heavier elements from iron to uranium remains a mystery. DOE supports theoretical and experimental studies of nuclear reactions that take place in supernovae as well as computer simulations of these violent stellar explosions. Much more information is needed about the extremely short-lived nuclei that take part in the complex chain of reactions. A new facility called the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) has been proposed to study the full range of nuclei that can exist in nature. Data obtained from RIA, together with supernovae simulations using the most powerful computers available, will take scientists much closer to a full understanding of the origin of the heavy elements. 4. Do neutrinos have mass? Cosmology tells us that neutrinos must be abundantly present in the universe today. Physicists have recently found increasing evidence that they have
