Global microscopic models for r-process calculations

The identification of the astrophysical site and the specific conditions in which r-process nucleosynthesis takes place remain unsolved mysteries of astrophysics. The present paper illustrates the complexity of the r-process nucleosynthesis by describing the nuclear mechanisms taking place during the decompression of neutron star matter, a promising r-process site. Future challenges faced by nuclear physics in this problem are discussed, particularly in the determination of the radiative neutron capture rates by exotic nuclei close to the neutron drip line, as well as the need for improved global microscopic models for a reliable determination of all nuclear properties of relevance.