| Experimental knowledge of nuclear masses of exotic nuclei is important for understanding nuclear structure far from the valley of beta-stability, and as a direct input into astrophysical models. In the case of astrophysical processes involving neutron rich nuclei, such as nucleosynthesis during the r-process and the evolution of matter in the crust of an accreting neutron star, we are mostly limited to using theoretical mass models.;The time of flight (TOF) mass measurement technique allows measuring very short-lived nuclei. It has been effectively applied using the fast fragment beams produced at the A1900 fragment separator at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab (NSCL) to reach masses very far from stability. This dissertation presents the development of the experimental setup for time-of-flight mass measurements at the NSCL, and the results of a first experiment in the region of neutron rich isotopes around the N=32 and N=40 subshells. The mass of six isotopes was determined for the first time.;The impact of the new measurements, and of different theoretical mass models, in the calculation of electron capture processes in the crust of accreting neutron stars were studied. It was confirmed that these processes are very sensitive to the odd-even staggering predicted by the models. In addition, the new result for the mass of 66Mn affects the electron capture threshold for one of the more relevant transition in the case of a crust composition given by the ashes carbon superbursts, and it could have important implications for the ignition depth of this type of X-ray bursts. |
