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Heavy elements with Z≥30 are made by neutron capture reactions during stellar He burning and presumably in supernovae. This contribution deals mainly with the slow neutron capture (s) process which is responsible for about one half of the abundances in the mass region between Fe and Bi. The slow time scale implies that the reaction path of this process involves mostly stable isotopes which can be studied in detail in laboratory experiments. The neutron time of flight (n_TOF) facility at CERN is a neutron spallation source, its white neutron energy spectrum ranges from thermal to several MeV, covering the full energy range of interest for nuclear astrophysics, in particular for measurements of the neutron capture cross section required in s-process nucleosynthesis. This contribution gives an overview on the astrophysical program made at n_TOF facility, the results and the implications will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectra of γ-rays following the capture of neutrons in 162Dy at neutron energy region of 90–100 keV, where p-wave neutron resonances dominate, were measured for individual γ multiplicities. These data support independently the main assessment from our previous study of the two-step γ cascades, following the thermal s-wave neutron capture in 162Dy, that the M1 scissors-mode resonances are built on all levels of 163Dy, including the levels in the quasicontinuum. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiative strength functions in 152,154Eu nuclei for γ-ray energies below 6 MeV have been investigated. Neutron capture for incident neutron energies <1eV up to 100 keV has been measured for 151,153Eu targets. Properties of γ decay of neutron resonances in 152,154Eu nuclei are examined. The results of measurements are compared to outcome of simulation of γ cascades based on various models for the radiative strength function. Comparison between experimental data and simulation suggests existence of the low-energy resonance in these two nuclei. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavior of the photon strength function of 198Au is treated using a novel approach based on studying γ cascades following the thermal and keV neutron capture in 197Au. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]