21,722 research outputs found
r-Process Nucleosynthesis in Shocked Surface Layers of O-Ne-Mg Cores
We demonstrate that rapid expansion of the shocked surface layers of an
O-Ne-Mg core following its collapse can result in r-process nucleosynthesis. As
the supernova shock accelerates through these layers, it makes them expand so
rapidly that free nucleons remain in disequilibrium with alpha-particles
throughout most of the expansion. This allows heavy r-process isotopes
including the actinides to form in spite of the very low initial neutron excess
of the matter. We estimate that yields of heavy r-process nuclei from this site
may be sufficient to explain the Galactic inventory of these isotopes.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
Evolution of O Abundance Relative to Fe
We present a three-component mixing model for the evolution of O abundance
relative to Fe, taking into account the contributions of the first very massive
(> 100 solar masses) stars formed from Big Bang debris. We show that the
observations of O and Fe abundances in metal-poor stars in the Galaxy by
Israelian et al. and Boesgaard et al. can be well represented both
qualitatively and quantitatively by this model. Under the assumption of an
initial Fe ([Fe/H] = -3) and O inventory due to the prompt production by the
first very massive stars, the data at -3 < [Fe/H] < -1 are interpreted to
result from the addition of O and Fe only from type II supernovae (SNII) to the
prompt inventory. At [Fe/H] = -1, SNII still contribute O while both SNII and
type Ia supernovae contribute Fe. During this later stage, (O/Fe) sharply drops
off to an asymptotic value of 0.8(O/Fe)_sun. The value of (O/Fe) for the prompt
inventory at [Fe/H] = -3 is found to be (O/Fe) = 20(O/Fe)_sun. This result
suggests that protogalaxies with low ``metallicities'' should exhibit high
values of (O/Fe). The C/O ratio produced by the first very massive stars is
expected to be much less than 1 so that all the C should be tied up as CO and
that C dust and hydrocarbon compounds should be quite rare at epochs
corresponding to [Fe/H] < -3.Comment: 25 pages, 8 postscript figures, to appear in Ap
A Circumbinary Planet in Orbit Around the Short-Period White-Dwarf Eclipsing Binary RR Cae
By using six new determined mid-eclipse times together with those collected
from the literature, we found that the Observed-Calculated (O-C) curve of RR
Cae shows a cyclic change with a period of 11.9 years and an amplitude of
14.3s, while it undergoes an upward parabolic variation (revealing a long-term
period increase at a rate of dP/dt =+4.18(+-0.20)x10^(-12). The cyclic change
was analyzed for the light-travel time effect that arises from the
gravitational influence of a third companion. The mass of the third body was
determined to be M_3*sin i' = 4.2(+-0.4) M_{Jup} suggesting that it is a
circumbinary giant planet when its orbital inclination is larger than 17.6
degree. The orbital separation of the circumbinary planet from the central
eclipsing binary is about 5.3(+-0.6)AU. The period increase is opposite to the
changes caused by angular momentum loss via magnetic braking or/and
gravitational radiation, nor can it be explained by the mass transfer between
both components because of its detached configuration. These indicate that the
observed upward parabolic change is only a part of a long-period (longer than
26.3 years) cyclic variation, which may reveal the presence of another giant
circumbinary planet in a wide orbit.Comment: It will be published in the MNRA
Reexamining the temperature and neutron density conditions for r-process nucleosynthesis with augmented nuclear mass models
We explore the effects of nuclear masses on the temperature and neutron
density conditions required for r-process nucleosynthesis using four nuclear
mass models augmented by the latest atomic mass evaluation. For each model we
derive the conditions for producing the observed abundance peaks at mass
numbers A ~ 80, 130, and 195 under the waiting-point approximation and further
determine the sets of conditions that can best reproduce the r-process
abundance patterns (r-patterns) inferred for the solar system and observed in
metal-poor stars of the Milky Way halo. In broad agreement with previous
studies, we find that (1) the conditions for producing abundance peaks at A ~
80 and 195 tend to be very different, which suggests that, at least for some
nuclear mass models, these two peaks are not produced simultaneously; (2) the
typical conditions required by the critical waiting-point (CWP) nuclei with the
N = 126 closed neutron shell overlap significantly with those required by the
N=82 CWP nuclei, which enables coproduction of abundance peaks at A ~ 130 and
195 in accordance with observations of many metal-poor stars; and (3) the
typical conditions required by the N = 82 CWP nuclei can reproduce the
r-pattern observed in the metal-poor star HD 122563, which differs greatly from
the solar r-pattern. We also examine how nuclear mass uncertainties affect the
conditions required for the r-process and identify some key nuclei
including76Ni to 78Ni, 82Zn, 131Cd, and 132Cd for precise mass measurements at
rare-isotope beam facilities.Comment: 28 pages,9 figures,1 tabl
Calorimetric Evidence of Strong-Coupling Multiband Superconductivity in Fe(Te0.57Se0.43) Single Crystal
We have investigated the specific heat of optimally-doped iron chalcogenide
superconductor Fe(Te0.57Se0.43) with a high-quality single crystal sample. The
electronic specific heat Ce of this sample has been successfully separated from
the phonon contribution using the specific heat of a non-superconducting sample
(Fe0.90Cu0.10)(Te0.57Se0.43) as a reference. The normal state Sommerfeld
coefficient gamma_n of the superconducting sample is found to be ~ 26.6 mJ/mol
K^2, indicating intermediate electronic correlation. The temperature dependence
of Ce in the superconducting state can be best fitted using a double-gap model
with 2Delta_s(0)/kBTc = 3.92 and 2Delta_l(0)/kBTc = 5.84. The large gap
magnitudes derived from fitting, as well as the large specific heat jump of
Delta_Ce(Tc)/gamma_n*Tc ~ 2.11, indicate strong-coupling superconductivity.
Furthermore, the magnetic field dependence of specific heat shows strong
evidence for multiband superconductivity
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