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Neutron capture reactions are responsible for the synthesis of almost all of the elements heavier than iron through the slow s-process, that proceeds close to the line of stability, and the rapid r-process, with very neutron-rich waiting points. Uncertainties in (n,γ) rates in neutron rich nuclei, especially near closed neu- tron shells, can have significant impact [1] on the predictions of final abundances for different astrophysical scenarios for the r process. Understanding (n,γ) rates on neutron-rich fission fragments is also important for nuclear forensics and stockpile stewardship science. Ratkiewicz et al. [2 and references therein] has recently demonstrated that the (d,pγ) reaction is a valid surrogate for (n,γ), where the formation of the compound nu- cleus from the breakup of the deuteron has been calculated in a reaction model and the subsequent measured gamma-decay probabilities are reproduced with standard level density and strength functions in a Bayesian approach. In parallel to the surrogate validation efforts, we have demonstrated that the (d,pγ) reaction can be measured in inverse kinematics with Gammasphere ORRUBA: Dual Detectors for Experimental Structure Studies (GODDESS) [3] where the Gammasphere array of Compton-suppressed HPGe detectors is coupled to the Oak Ridge Rutgers University Barrel Array of position-sensitive silicon strip detectors. During the commis- sioning campaign we measured the (d,pγ) reaction with 134Xe and 95Mo beams, the latter to demonstrate the surrogate method in inverse kinematics. The present talk will present preliminary results from this campaign including γ-decay probabilities and prospects for surrogate (n,γ) measurements with 143Ba fission-fragment beams. 

Astrophysical simulations require knowledge of a wide array of reaction rates. For a number of reasons, many of these reaction rates cannot be measured directly and instead are probed with indirect nuclear reactions. We review the current state of the art regarding the techniques used to extract reaction information that is relevant to describe stars, including their explosions and collisions. We focus on the theoretical developments over the last decade that have had an impact on the connection between the laboratory indirect measurement and the astrophysical desired reaction. This review includes three major probes that have been, and will continue to be, widely used in our community: transfer reactions, breakup reactions, and charge-exchange reactions.