Stellar Modelling for Nuclear Astrophysics Summer School (SMNASS)

This summer school is intended to teach the application of stellar modelling using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) to those in the nuclear-astrophysics community and other interested researchers. Stellar modelling applications are becoming increasingly robust, and the availability of models for various stellar environments of interest to the nuclear-astrophysics community is constantly increasing. These can be used as a library for studying nucleosynthesis, both as a predictive tool for steering experimental efforts, and also to test results once experiments are finished. The open access model of MESA, along with its improved support for robust nuclear networks puts this within reach of nuclear experimentalists. Participants would leave the school with a better knowledge of nuclear networks and stellar evolution models, and how to apply custom nuclear network features such as isotopes and rates, as well as adapting existing models to new stellar environments. Optional topics such as studies involving many rates and parameters will also be discussed, time permitting.

 Topics

1)  Installing MESA, basic usage
2)  Using resources to find and optimize starting models
4)  Nuclear net basics
5)  Customizing nuclear networks in MESA
6)  Post–processing nucleosynthetic results with Python to study effects on observables and abundances
7)  Applications: sample model TBD
8)  Optional Topic: Beyond mesa