Understanding the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in the universe ranges amongst the key topics currently addressed in nuclear astrophysics. ‘Waiting points’ at closed nucleon shells play a crucial role in controlling the reaction rates. However, since most of the pathway of heavy-element formation via the rapid-neutron capture process (r-process) runs in ‘terra incognita’ of the nuclear landscape, in particular the waiting point at N=126 is yet unexplored and will remain inaccessible to conventional nuclear reaction schemes even at next-generation radioactive beam facilities.
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