Production of p Nuclei from r-Process Seeds: The νr Process.

We present a new nucleosynthesis process that may take place on neutron-rich ejecta experiencing an intensive neutrino flux. The nucleosynthesis proceeds similarly to the standard r process, a sequence of neutron captures and beta decays with, however, charged-current neutrino absorption reactions on nuclei operating much faster than beta decays. Once neutron-capture reactions freeze out the produced r process, neutron-rich nuclei undergo a fast conversion of neutrons into protons and are pushed even beyond the β stability line, producing the neutron-deficient p nuclei.

Energy density functional study of nuclear matrix elements for neutrinoless ββ decay.

We present an extensive study of nuclear matrix elements (NME) for the neutrinoless double-beta decay of the nuclei 48Ca, 76Ge, 82Se, 96Zr, 100Mo, 116Cd, 124Sn, 128Te, 130Te, 136Xe, and 150Nd based on state-of-the-art energy density functional methods using the Gogny D1S functional. Beyond-mean-field effects are included within the generating coordinate method with particle number and angular momentum projection for both initial and final ground states. We obtain a rather constant value for the NMEs around 4.