Nuclear masses in astrophysics

Nuclear masses play a fundamental role in nuclear astrophysics. This article summarizes the connection between nuclear masses and astrophysical phenomena, discusses the required mass accuracy for astrophysical applications, reviews the current status of understanding of masses in astrophysical scenarios, and points out the need for future mass measurements for the understanding of the origin of the elements, stellar explosions, and neutron stars. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.