160 research outputs found
The impact of global nuclear mass model uncertainties on -process abundance predictions
Rapid neutron capture or `-process' nucleosynthesis may be responsible for
half the production of heavy elements above iron on the periodic table. Masses
are one of the most important nuclear physics ingredients that go into
calculations of -process nucleosynthesis as they enter into the calculations
of reaction rates, decay rates, branching ratios and Q-values. We explore the
impact of uncertainties in three nuclear mass models on -process abundances
by performing global monte carlo simulations. We show that root-mean-square
(rms) errors of current mass models are large so that current -process
predictions are insufficient in predicting features found in solar residuals
and in -process enhanced metal poor stars. We conclude that the reduction of
global rms errors below keV will allow for more robust -process
predictions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, invited talk at the 15th International Symposium
on Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related Topics (CGS15), to appear in
EPJ Web of Conference
The sensitivity of r-process nucleosynthesis to the properties of neutron-rich nuclei
About half of the heavy elements in the Solar System were created by rapid
neutron capture, or r-process, nucleosynthesis. In the r-process, heavy
elements are built up via a sequence of neutron captures and beta decays in
which an intense neutron flux pushes material out towards the neutron drip
line. The nuclear network simulations used to test potential astrophysical
scenarios for the r-process therefore require nuclear physics data (masses,
beta decay lifetimes, neutron capture rates, fission probabilities) for
thousands of nuclei far from stability. Only a small fraction of this data has
been experimentally measured. Here we discuss recent sensitivity studies that
aim to determine the nuclei whose properties are most crucial for r-process
calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted to the Proceedings of the Fifth
International Conference on Fission and Properties of Neutron-Rich Nuclei
(ICFN5
Neutron capture rates and r-process nucleosynthesis
Simulations of r-process nucleosynthesis require nuclear physics information
for thousands of neutron-rich nuclear species from the line of stability to the
neutron drip line. While arguably the most important pieces of nuclear data for
the r-process are the masses and beta decay rates, individual neutron capture
rates can also be of key importance in setting the final r-process abundance
pattern. Here we consider the influence of neutron capture rates in forming the
A~80 and rare earth peaks.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, appears in the Proceedings of the 14th
International Symposium on Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related Topic
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