LUNA: Experimental challenges in Underground Nuclear Astrophysics Laboratory

by Dr Alba Formicola (INFN - Roma1)

Thursday 15 May 2025, 10:30 → 12:30 Europe/Rome

C. Villi meeting room

Accurate knowledge of thermonuclear reaction rates is important in understanding the generation of energy, the luminosity of neutrinos, and the synthesis of elements in stars.

The LUNA Collaboration has shown that, by going underground and by using the typical techniques of low background physics, it is possible to measure nuclear cross sections down to the energy of the nucleosynthesis inside stars.

Capitalising on the success of the last three decades, the LUNA Collaboration also secured funds for a new 3.5 MV accelerator to allow for the study of He, C,  and advanced stellar burning stages, the new accelerator opens up unprecedented opportunities for further studies underground.

An overview of the experimental techniques adopted in underground nuclear astrophysics and a summary of the main recent results and achievements will be presented.