X-ray bursts are thermonuclear explosions occurring on the surface of accreting neutron stars. Measurements from orbiting X-ray satellites during the last years have provided us with a wealth of information about the nuclear reactions thought to occur in this extreme, high-density environment. With radioactive ion beams available at first-generation facilities we have begun to study these processes in the laboratory. In this talk I will report on experiments performed with radioactive beams from the ATLAS accelerator at Argonne which are related to X-ray bursts. I will discuss the properties of X-ray bursts, the production of radioactive beams, ways to improve the intensity, the purity and the energy resolution of these beams, novel detectors, optimized for experiments with weak radioactive beams, which are crucial to measure the relevant nuclear cross sections.

Argonne Physics Division Colloquium Schedule