NUCLEAR ASTROPHYSICS WITH SECONDARY (RADIOACTIVE) BEAMS

Some problems in nuclear astrophysics are discussed with emphasize on the ones central to the field which were not solved over the last two decades, including Helium Burning in Massive stars (the 12C(a,g)16O reaction) and the 8B Solar Neutrino Flux Problem (the 7Be(p,g)8B reaction). We demonstrate that a great deal of progress was achieved by measuring the time reverse process(es): the beta-delayed alpha-particle emission of 16N and the Coulomb dissociation of 8B, using radioactive beams (of 16N and 8B). In this way an amplification of the sought for cross section was achieved, allowing a measurement of the small cross section(s) of relevance for stellar (solar) process(es).