Reaction Rates in X-ray Bursts

X-ray bursts are powerful flares of energy due to thermonuclear explosions, which occur in a binary system where a neutron star accretes matter from its companion star. The rp-process is the nuclear reaction sequence driving the bursts. Consideration is therefore given to modeling the rp-process, using accurate theoretical and experimental data. Improved proton capture rates on the key rp-nuclei 64Ge, 65As, 69Br, and 73Rb were calculated. Resonance parameters were estimated using available experimental data and systematics. The data was used for theoretical modeling of X-ray bursts and to determine the impact of the new reaction rates on the observable light curve.