Nuclear astrophysics group is focused on nucleosynthesis in stars from the aspect of experiments and theories. Every nucleus, whether in our bodies or in remote stars, may originate from hundreds of stellar evolution or supernova explosion processes. To simulate the nucleosynthesis in stars, we measure the nuclear reaction rates and probe the nuclear properties by using the accelerated beams to bombard targets. Comparing astronomical observations with our results obtained in the laboratory, we collaborate with astrophysics and astronomers to explore and solve the problem of the origin of elements in the universe.

1. The measurement of important nuclear reactions in stars

2. The research of nuclear weak-interaction decay rate in the stellar environment

3. Theoretical research on nucleosynthesis

4. Development of advanced detectors for experiments

1) “Application of the microscopic optical potential of chiral effective field theory in astrophysical neutron-capture reactions”, Bing Wang*, Dong Bai*, Yi Xu*, Phys. Lett. B 872, 140056 (2026).

2) “63Fe–63Mn: A Possible Strong Urca Pair and Its Potential Astrophysical Impact”, Hao Huang, Kuoang Li*, Zhong Liu*, Xiaodong Tang, Peng Shuai, and Zach Meisel, The Astrophysical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal 990, 13 (2025).

3) “Measurements of Gamow-Teller transitions from 59Co via the 59Co(t, 3He+γ) charge-exchange reaction and its application to the stellar electron-capture rates”, B. Gao, S. Giraud, C. J. Lv, Y. Sun*, R. G. T. Zegers*, L. J. Wang, Y. F. Niu, J. Ash, Y. Ayyad-Limonge, D. Bazin, S. Biswas, B. A. Brown, J. Chen, P. Farris, A. Gade, T. Ginter, M. Grinder, A. M. Hill, H. Iwasaki, E. Kwan, K. A. Li, B. Longfellow, C. Maher, F. Ndayisabye, S. Noji, J. Pereira, A. Revel, D. Rhodes, A. Sanchez, J. Schmitt, C. Sumithrarachchi, X. Tang, S. C. Wang*, and D. Weisshaar, Phys. Rev. C 112, 024615 (2025).

4) “12C+12C fusion reaction at astrophysical energies using HOPG target”, Shuo Wang, Yun‑Zhen Li, Long‑Hui Ru, Xin‑Yu Wang, Ning‑Tao Zhang*, Yi‑Hua Fan, Yu‑Cheng Feng, Bing‑Shui Gao, Hao Huang, Tao‑Yu Jiao, Hao Jian, Kuo‑Ang Li, Jia‑Qing Li, Li‑Bin Li, Xiao‑Bin Li, Chen‑Gui Lu, En‑Qiang Liu, Bing‑Feng Lv, Hong‑Yi Ma, Hooi‑Jin Ong, Fu‑Shuai Shi, Liang‑Ting Sun, Xiao‑Dong Tang, Yu Tang, Bing Wang, Hou‑Qing Wang, Yao Yang, Yu‑Han Zhai, Jin‑Long Zhang, Bo Zhang, Peng Zhang, Zhi‑Chao Zhang, Xiao‑Dong Xu, Wei‑Ping Lin*, Chun Wen, De‑Hao Xie, Zhi‑Yong Zhang, Xiao Fang, Hong‑Yi Wu, Tao Tian, Jun‑Rui Ma, Cheng‑Lin Hao, Yu‑Na Yang, Yu‑Yang Yu, Xue Liu, Yun‑Long Lu, Si‑Tao Zhu, Nucl. Sci. Tech. 36, 143 (2025).

5) “Systematic study of the radiative proton capture including the compound, pre-equilibrium, and direct mechanisms”, Bing Wang, Yi Xu*, and Stephane Goriely, Phys. Rev. C 109, 014611 (2024).

6) “Strength of the resonance of the 13C(α,n)16O reaction at Eα = 1055.63 keV”, L. H. Ru, D. H. Xie, T. Y. Jiao, Z. An, F. Bai, J. W. Cai, X. Fang, Y. H. Fan, Y. X. Fan, B. S. Gao, Y. Z. Li, W. P. Lin*, G. Liu, L. Ma , H. J. Ong, X. D. Tang*, P. Wang, and X. Zhang, Phys. Rev. C 107, 065803 (2023).

7) “Effective energy window of the E1 photon strength function for astrophysical neutron-capture reaction rates”, Bing Wang, Yi Xu*, Xiaodong Tang*, Phys. Rev. C 108, 065805 (2023)

8) “Deep Underground Laboratory Measurement of 13C(α,n)16O in the Gamow Windows of the s and i Processes”, B. Gao, T. Y. Jiao, Y. T. Li, H. Chen, W. P. Lin, Z. An, L. H. Ru, Z. C. Zhang, X. D. Tang*, X. Y. Wang, N. T. Zhang, X. Fang, D. H. Xie, Y. H. Fan, L. Ma, X. Zhang, F. Bai, P. Wang, Y. X. Fan, G. Liu, H. X. Huang, Q. Wu, Y. B. Zhu, J. L. Chai, J. Q. Li, L. T. Sun, S. Wang, J. W. Cai, Y. Z. Li, J. Su, H. Zhang, Z. H. Li, Y. J. Li, E. T. Li, C. Chen, Y. P. Shen, G. Lian, B. Guo, X. Y. Li, L. Y. Zhang, J. J. He, Y. D. Sheng, Y. J. Chen, L. H. Wang, L. Zhang, F. Q. Cao, W. Nan, W. K. Nan, G. X. Li, N. Song, B. Q. Cui, L. H. Chen, R. G. Ma, Z. C. Zhang, S. Q. Yan, J. H. Liao, Y. B. Wang, S. Zeng, D. Nan, Q.W. Fan, N. C. Qi, W. L. Sun, X. Y. Guo, P. Zhang, Y. H. Chen, Y. Zhou, J. F. Zhou, J. R. He, C. S. Shang, M. C. Li, S. Kubono, W. P. Liu*, R. J. deBoer, M. Wiescher and M. Pignatari, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 132701 (2022)

9) “Studies of the 2α and 3α channels of the 12C+12C reaction in the range of Ec.m.=8.9 MeV to 21 MeV using the active target Time Projection Chamber”, X. Y. Wang, N. T. Zhang*, Z. C. Zhang, C. G. Lu*, T. L. Pu, J. L. Zhang, L. M. Duan, B. S. Gao, K. A. Li, Y. T. Li, Y. Qian, L. H. Ru, B. Wang, X. D. Xu, H. Y. Zhao, W. P. Lin, Z. W. Cai, B. F. Ji, Q. T. Li, J. Y. Xu, X. D. Tang, Chin. Phys. C 46, 104001 (2022).

10) “The Stellar β-decay Rate of 134Cs and Its Impact on the Barium Nucleosynthesis in the s-process”, Kuo-Ang Li*, Chong Qi*, Maria Lugaro*, Andrés Yagüe López, Amanda I. Karakas, Jacqueline den Hartogh, Bing-Shui Gao, Xiao-Dong Tang, The Astrophysical Journal Letters 919, L19 (2021).

11) “New 59Fe Stellar Decay Rate with Implications for the 60Fe Radioactivity in Massive Stars”, B. Gao*, S. Giraud, K. A. Li*, A. Sieverding, R. G. T. Zegers, X. Tang, J. Ash, Y. Ayyad-Limonge,D. Bazin, S. Biswas, B. A. Brown, J. Chen, M. DeNudt, P. Farris, J. M. Gabler, A. Gade, T. Ginter, M. Grinder, A. Heger, C. Hultquist, A. M. Hill, H. Iwasaki, E. Kwan, J. Li, B. Longfellow, C. Maher, F. Ndayisabye, S. Noji, J. Pereira, C. Qi, J. Rebenstock, A. Revel, D. Rhodes, A. Sanchez, J. Schmitt,C. Sumithrarachchi, B. H. Sun, and D. Weisshaar, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 152701 (2021).

12) “Low event rate neutron detector array using the coincidence between plastic scintillator and Helium-3 proportional counters”, H. X. Huang， B. Gao*, Y. T. Li, J. Ren， X C. Ruan, H. Chen, X. D. Tang，N. T. Zhang，T. Y. Jiao，G. Lian, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A, 1003, 165323 (2021).

13) “Studying the heavy-ion fusion reactions at stellar energies using Time Projection Chamber”, Z. C. Zhang, X. Y. Wang, T. L. Pu, C. G. Lu*, N. T. Zhang*, J. L. Zhang, L. M. Duan, B. S. Gao, J. Gao, R. J. Hu, E. Q. Liu, K. A. Li, Q. T. Li, Y. T. Li, B. F. Lv, H. Y. Ma, J. B. Ma, H. J. Ong, Y. Qian, L. H. Ru, L. T. Sun, X. D. Tang, J. Y. Xu, X. D. Xu, Y. Yang, Y. H. Zhai, H. Y. Zhao, H. W. Zhao, Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research, A1016, 165740 (2021).

14) “Progress in nuclear astrophysics of east and southeast Asia”, Azni Abdul Aziz, Nor Sofiah Ahmad, S. Ahn, Wako Aoki, Muruthujaya Bhuyan, Ke-Jung Chen, Gang Guo, K. I. Hahn, Toshitaka Kajino*, Hasan Abu Kassim, D. Kim, Shigeru Kubono, Motohiko Kusakabe, A. Li, Haining Li, Z. H. Li, W. P. Liu*, Z. W. Liu, Tohru Motobayashi, Kuo-Chuan Pan, T.-S. Park, Jian-Rong Shi1, Xiaodong Tang* , W. Wang, Liangjian Wen, Meng-Ru Wu, Hong-Liang Yan and Norhasliza Yusof, AAPPS Bull. 31, 18 (2021).

15) “Constraining the 12C+12C astrophysical S-factors with the 12C+13C measurements at very low energies”, N. T. Zhang, X. Y. Wang, D. Tudor*, B. Bucher, I. Burducea, H. Chen, Z. J. Chen, D. Chesneanu, A. I. Chilug, L. R. Gasques, D. G. Ghita, C. Gomoiu, K. Hagino, S. Kubono, Y. J. Li, C. J. Lin, W. P. Lin, R. Margineanu, A. Pantelica, I. C. Stefanescu, M. Straticiuc, X. D. Tang*, L. Trache*, A. S. Umar, W. Y. Xin, S. W. Xu, Y. Xu, Phys. Lett. B 801, 135170 (2020).

16) “Modified astrophysical S-factor of 12C+12C fusion reaction at sub-barrier energies”, Y. J. Li, X. Fang*, B. Bucher, K. A. Li, L. H. Ru, X. D. Tang, Chin.Phys.C 44, 115001 (2020).

17) “Status on 12C + 12C fusion at deep subbarrier energies: impact of resonances on astrophysical S* factors”, C. Beck, A. M. Mukhamedzhanov*, X. Tang, Eur. Phys. J. A 56, 87 (2020).

18) “Gamow-Teller transitions to 93Zr via the 93Nb(t, 3He + γ) reaction at 115 MeV/u and its application to the stellar electron-capture rates”, B. Gao, R. G. T. Zegers, J. C. Zamora, D. Bazin, B. A. Brown, P. Bender, H. L. Crawford, J. Engel, A. Falduto, A. Gade , P. Gastis, T. Ginter, C. J. Guess, S. Lipschutz, A. O. Macchiavelli, K. Miki, E. M. Ney, B. Longfellow, S. Noji , J. Pereira, J. Schmitt, C. Sullivan, R. Titus, and D. Weisshaar, Phys. Rev. C 101, 014308 (2020).

19) “An efficient method for mapping the 12C+12C molecular resonances at low energies”, Xiao-Dong Tang, Shao-Bo Ma, Xiao Fang*, Brian Bucher, Adam Alongi, Craig Cahillane, Wan-Peng Tan, NUCL SCI TECH 30, 126 (2019).

20) “A Method for Determination of Deuterium Impurity in the Helium Beam”, Han Chen*, ShiWei Xu, NingTao Zhang, Jun Hu, KuoAng Li, ShaoBo Ma, XiChao Ruan, XiaoDong Tang, LiYong Zhang, Sci. China, Phys. Mech. & Astro. 61, 052021, Science China (2018).

21) “β-decay rate of 59Fe in shell burning environment and its influence on the production of 60Fe in a massive star”, K. A. Li*, Y. H. Lam*, C. Qi*, X. D. Tang, N. T. Zhang, Phys. Rev. C 94, 065807 (2016).

22) “First Direct Measurement of 12C(12C, n)23Mg at Stellar Energies”, B. Bucher, X. D. Tang, X. Fang, A. Heger, S. Almaraz-Calderon, A. Alongi, A. D. Ayangeakaa, M. Beard, A. Best, J. Browne, C. Cahillane, M. Couder, R. J. deBoer, A. Kontos, L. Lamm, Y. J. Li, A. Long, W. Lu, S. Lyons, M. Notani, D. Patel, N. Paul, M. Pignatari, A. Roberts, D. Robertson, K. Smith, E. Stech, R. Talwar, W. P. Tan, M. Wiescher, S. E. Woosley, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 251102 (2015).