Neutron capture rates on radioactive nuclides – DANCE

The nucleosynthesis of the elements including their stellar sites is one of the most interesting nuclear physics challenges. Information on reaction rates for neutron induced reactions have a direct impact on existing stellar models. Except for the stable isotopes, very few neutron-induced reactions in the energy range of interest have been measured to date. DANCE measurements on stable and unstable isotopes can provide many of the missing key reactions that are needed to understand the nucleosynthesis of the heavy elements, which is illustrated at the example of the 151Sm(n,γ) reaction.