Stanford Woosley's research centers on theoretical high-energy astrophysics, especially violent explosive events such as supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. He and his group, which typically includes two postdoctoral researchers and two graduate students, are especially interested in the nucleosynthesis, hydrodynamics, and radiation transport in these events, and in the evolution of massive stars, which sets the stage for such explosions. Detailed models are evolved on the computer.

His current research projects include modeling the evolution of massive stars (8 to 50 times the mass of the sun) through all stages of nuclear burning, in an attempt to obtain realistic presupernova stars and a complete depiction of nucleosynthesis for all isotopes lighter than krypton. An example of this sort of work can be found in ApJS, 101, 181, (1995) with application to Galactic chemical evolution discussed in ApJS, 98, 617 (1995). Currently, these calculations are being repeated with improvements in the nuclear physics, a more realistic treatment of convection, new opacities, mass loss, and rotation. Much of the work on the nuclear aspects of nuclear astrophysics is being done in collaboration with Rob Hoffman (LLNL). A major project is also under way with Alex Heger (MPA - coming to UCSC as a postdoc in winter, 1998) - and Norbert Langer (Potsdam) to model the effects of rotation on the evolution of massive stars all the way to the presupernova state.