Helium-induced reactions in astrophysics

Helium-induced reactions play a crucial role in stellar nucleosynthesis. Carbon and oxygen are produced mainly during the helium-burning phase by the chain of reactions {sup 8}Be({alpha}, {gamma} + e{sup +}e{sup {minus}}){sup 12}C({alpha}, {gamma}){sup 16}O. The first step, often called triple-{alpha} capture, was proposed by Hoyle to bypass the mass stability gap at {sup 8}Be. The second step gives rise to the largest uncertainty in most of the calculated stellar abundances. Later {alpha}-captures on {sup 13}C are believed to be a major source of s-process neutrons. The status of each of these important reactions is reviewed here