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dictions which are implicitly contained in the databases (see the discussion in Sec. VI B) and this way entering our extrapolation. 

Therefore, Fig. 4 also illustrates the necessity for cross section measurements with the time-of-flight method over a wider energy range from the resonance region up to about 1 MeV, in particular for nuclei involved in the p -process network. Unfortunately, this will be hard to achieve, mostly because isotopically pure samples of the rare p -isotopes are difficult to obtain. 

The (n, γ ) cross sections of the p -isotopes $^{102}$Pd, $^{120}$Te, 130 , $^{132}$Ba, and $^{156}$Dy have been measured in a quasi- stellar neutron spectrum corresponding to a thermal en- ergy of kT = 25 keV by means of the activation tech- nique. The results for $^{102}$Pd, $^{120}$Te, and $^{132}$Ba repre- sent the first experimental data, thus replacing rather uncertain theoretical predictions. For $^{130}$Ba and $^{156}$Dy the previously available experimental information could be significantly extended and improved. The measured cross sections were converted into Maxwellian averaged cross sections for a range of thermal energies between kT = 5 and 100 keV, and further extrapolated to the temperature region of the p -process. The extrapolation still relies on theory and this underscores the necessity for future measurements covering a wider energy range. 

## VII. SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK 

