Effects of short-lived radioactive nuclei on nucleosynthesis and cosmology

Recent theoretical developments have pointed out the importance of short-lived radioactive nuclei on stellar nucleosynthesis. For example, nuclear reactions on isotopes such as 13N and 14O can be critical in understanding the details of the hot CNO cycle, which could be a major contributor to synthesis of the elements. The latter nuclide could also have significant implications for generation of supernova explosions. A recent experimental advance, to be discussed, has made it possible to observe reactions on such short-lived nuclides. In addition, some long-lived radioactive nuclei can be used as chronometers for determining the age of the universe. The nuclide 187Re is the key for one of the chronometers; its half-life has recently been shown theoretically to be sensitive to bound state beta decay, in which the electron emitted is captured into a bound atomic state, under stellar conditions. A possible experiment to observe effects of bound state decay will also be discussed