Nucleosynthesis with tritium

Abstract This paper reports on the possible role of tritium-induced reactions of light nuclei, which may influence nucleosynthesis in short-lived environments such as the third minute of the Big Bang. They may also play a role during the emergence of the neutrino-driven shock front in core collapse supernovae or merging neutron stars at extreme densities. The production of tritium requires a very dynamic and neutron-rich environment; under such conditions tritium-induced reactions are expected to play an important role in the development of specific reaction patterns that could lead to a delayed release of neutrons influencing the associated nucleosynthesis. Here, we summarize different possible reaction sequences and discuss the strength and impact of tritium cluster resonances that occur near the tritium threshold in the respective compound systems.