https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/s10050-025-01741-z
Review
Neutron Poisons and neutron sources - from the nuclear point of view
1
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame, 46556, Notre Dame, IN, USA
2
TRIUMF, V6T 2A3, Vancouver, BC, Canada
a
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Received:
22
August
2025
Accepted:
2
November
2025
Published online:
17
November
2025
Abstract
This paper is in memory of Roberto Gallino, a long-time collaborator on questions of neutron sources and neutron-induced reactions in stellar nucleosynthesis. We therefore discuss a topic that was of great interest to him, the correlation between neutron sources that provide the neutron flux for the production of heavy elements in the s-process and neutron poison reactions that reduce the number of neutrons in the stellar environment. Neutron poisons play a role in all s-process environments, such as the final phase of core helium burning of massive stars or the carbon pocket in hydrogen-helium intershell environment of low-mass AGB stars, originally proposed by Gallino and his co-workers more than 40 years ago. This paper will argue that neutron poison reactions serve as a neutron storage mechanism through which neutron sources can be fueled to provide a delayed neutron release.
Communicated by Maria Borge.
© The Author(s) 2025
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