The p-process of stellar nucleosynthesis: astrophysics and nuclear physics status

The p-process of stellar nucleosynthesis is aimed at explaining the production of the stable neutron-deficient nuclides heavier than iron that are observed up to now in the solar system exclusively. Various scenarios have been proposed to account for the bulk p-nuclide content of the solar system, as well as for deviations (‘anomalies’) with respect to the bulk p-isotope composition of some elements discovered in primitive meteorites. The astrophysics of these models is reviewed, and the involved nuclear physics is discussed, including a brief account of recent experimental efforts. Already published results are complemented with new ones. A specific attention is paid to the very rare odd–odd nuclides 138La and 180Tam, as well as to the puzzling case of the light Mo and Ru isotopes. Astrophysics and nuclear physics prospects of improvements in the p-process modeling are presented.