Constraining the key input to X-ray burst models and the role of active-targets

Jaspreet Randhawa

University of Notre Dame

Abstract: Type-I X-ray bursts (XRBs) are among the most frequent thermonuclear explosions in the Universe. Detailed models are required to constrain the mass-radius relation and other underlying physics through comparisons between the observations and models. Model predictions of X-ray burst ashes and light curves depend on the composition of the material accreted from the companion star and to the model's nuclear input.  This presentation will focus on the recent results on how spallation in the atmospheres of accreting neutron stars can alter the initial compositions and laboratory measurement of key nuclear reactions to constrain the XRB models. Particular focus will be on the rise of active targets as a suitable tool for measurements with very low-intensity radioactive beams.