Tables of Nuclear Cross Sections and Reaction Rates: an Addendum to the Paper "Astrophysical Reaction Rates from Statistical Model Calculations"

In a previous publication [Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables 75, 1 (2000)], we had given seven parameter analytical fits to theoretical reaction rates derived from nuclear cross sections calculated in the statistical model (Hauser-Feshbach formalism) for targets with 9<Z<84 (Ne to Bi) and for a mass range reaching the neutron and proton driplines. Reactions considered were (n,gamma), (n,p), (n,alpha), (p,gamma), (p,alpha), (alpha,gamma), and their inverse reactions. On public demand, we present here the theoretical nuclear cross sections and astrophysical reaction rates from which those rate fits were derived, and we provide these data as on-line electronic files. Corresponding to the fitted rates, two complete data sets are provided, one of which includes a phenomenological treatment of shell quenching for neutron-rich nuclei.Comment: 23 pages, 3 tables; scheduled to appear in Atomic Data Nuclear Data Tables 79 (2001) (September issue); preprint and data also available at http://quasar.physik.unibas.ch/~tommy/adndt.htm

Global statistical model calculations and the role of isospin

An improved code for the calculation of astrophysical reaction rates in the statistical model is presented. It includes the possibility to study isospin effects. Such effects heavily affect capture rates involving self-conjugate nuclei and may also be found in reactions on other intermediate and heavy targets.Comment: 5 pages LaTeX, uses iopconf.sty, to appear in the proceedings of the 2nd Oak Ridge Symposium on Atomic and Nuclear Astrophysics, ed. A. Mezzacappa, IOP, in pres

Computational Methods for Nucleosynthesis and Nuclear Energy Generation

This review concentrates on the two principle methods used to evolve nuclear abundances within astrophysical simulations, evolution via rate equations and via equilibria. Because in general the rate equations in nucleosynthetic applications form an extraordinarily stiff system, implicit methods have proven mandatory, leading to the need to solve moderately sized matrix equations. Efforts to improve the performance of such rate equation methods are focused on efficient solution of these matrix equations, by making best use of the sparseness of these matrices. Recent work to produce hybrid schemes which use local equilibria to reduce the computational cost of the rate equations is also discussed. Such schemes offer significant improvements in the speed of reaction networks and are accurate under circumstances where calculations with complete equilibrium fail.Comment: LaTeX2e with graphicx, 40 Pages with 5 embedded figures. To be published in Computational Astrophysics, The Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, eds. H. Riffert, K. Werne

Silicon Burning I: Neutronization and the Physics of Quasi-Equilibrium

As the ultimate stage of stellar nucleosynthesis, and the source of the iron peak nuclei, silicon burning is important to our understanding of the evolution of massive stars and supernovae. Our reexamination of silicon burning, using results gleaned from simulation work done with a large nuclear network (299 nuclei and more than 3000 reactions) and from independent calculations of equilibrium abundance distributions, offers new insights into the quasi-equilibrium mechanism and the approach to nuclear statistical equilibrium. We find that the degree to which the matter has been neutronized is of great importance, not only to the final products but also to the rate of energy generation and the membership of the quasi-equilibrium groups. A small increase in the global neutronization results in much larger free neutron fluences, increasing the abundances of more neutron-rich nuclei. As a result, incomplete silicon burning results in neutron richness among the isotopes of the iron peak much larger than the global neutronization would indicate. Finally, we briefly discuss the limitations and pitfalls of models for silicon burning currently employed within hydrodynamic models. In a forthcoming paper we will present a new approximation to the full nuclear network which preserves the most important features of the large nuclear network calculations at a significant improvement in computational speed. Such improved methods are ideally suited for hydrodynamic calculations which involve the production of iron peak nuclei, where the larger network calculation proves unmanageable.Comment: 44 pages of TeX with 25 Postscript figures, uses psfig.sty, To appear in the The Astrophysical Journal, April 1 1996. Complete PostScript version of the paper is also available from http://tycho.as.utexas.edu/~raph/Publications.htm

Silicon Burning II: Quasi-Equilibrium and Explosive Burning

Having examined the application of quasi-equilibrium to hydrostatic silicon burning in Paper I of this series, Hix & Thielemann (1996), we now turn our attention to explosive silicon burning. Previous authors have shown that for material which is heated to high temperature by a passing shock and then cooled by adiabatic expansion, the results can be divided into three broad categories; \emph{incomplete burning}, \emph{normal freezeout} and \emph{$\alpha$-rich freezeout}, with the outcome depending on the temperature, density and cooling timescale. In all three cases, we find that the important abundances obey quasi-equilibrium for temperatures greater than approximately 3 GK, with relatively little nucleosynthesis occurring following the breakdown of quasi-equilibrium. We will show that quasi-equilibrium provides better abundance estimates than global nuclear statistical equilibrium, even for normal freezeout and particularly for $\alpha$-rich freezeout. We will also examine the accuracy with which the final nuclear abundances can be estimated from quasi-equilibrium.Comment: 27 pages, including 15 inline figures. LaTeX 2e with aaspp4 and graphicx packages. Accepted to Ap

Nucleosynthesis Calculations for the Ejecta of Neutron Star Coalescences

We present the results of fully dynamical r-process network calculations for the ejecta of neutron star mergers (NSMs). The late stages of the inspiral and the final violent coalescence of a neutron star binary have been calculated in detail using a 3D hydrodynamics code (Newtonian gravity plus backreaction forces emerging from the emission of gravitational waves) and a realistic nuclear equation of state. The found trajectories for the ejecta serve as input for dynamical r-process calculations where all relevant nuclear reactions (including beta-decays depositing nuclear energy in the expanding material) are followed. We find that all the ejected material undergoes r-process. For an initial Ye close to 0.1 the abundance distributions reproduce very accurately the solar r-process pattern for nuclei with A above 130. For lighter nuclei strongly underabundant (as compared to solar) distributions are encountered. We show that this behaviour is consistent with the latest observations of very old, metal-poor stars, despite simplistic arguments that have recently been raised against the possibility of NSM as possible sources of Galactic r-process material.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of Nuclei in the Cosmos 2000, to be published in Nucl. Phys. A; minor correctio

Stellar evolution of massive stars at very low metallicities

Recently, measurements of abundances in extremely metal poor (EMP) stars have brought new constraints on stellar evolution models. In an attempt to explain the origin of the abundances observed, we computed pre--supernova evolution models, explosion models and the related nucleosynthesis. In this paper, we start by presenting the pre-SN models of rotating single stars with metallicities ranging from solar metallicity down to almost metal free. We then review key processes in core-collapse and bounce, before we integrate them in a simplistic parameterization for 3D MHD models, which are well underway and allow one to follow the evolution of the magnetic fields during collapse and bounce. Finally, we present explosive nucleosynthesis results including neutrino interactions with matter, which are calculated using the outputs of the explosion models. The main results of the pre-SN models are the following. First, primary nitrogen is produced in large amount in models with an initial metallicity $Z=10^{-8}$. Second, at the same metallicity of $Z=10^{-8}$ and for models with an initial mass larger than about 60 Mo, rotating models may experience heavy mass loss (up to more than half of the initial mass of the star). The chemical composition of these winds can qualitatively reproduce the abundance patterns observed at the surface of carbon-rich EMP stars. Explosive nucleosynthesis including neutrino-matter interactions produce improved abundances for iron group elements, in particular for scandium and zinc. It also opens the way to a new neutrino and proton rich process ($\nu$p-process) able to contribute to the nucleosynthesis of elements with A > 64. (Abridged)Comment: 29 pages, 10 figures, Reviews of Modern Astronomy 19, proceedings for 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Deutsche Astronomische Gesellschaft 200

Nuclear Structure Studies at ISOLDE and their Impact on the Astrophysical r-Process

The focus of the present review is the production of the heaviest elements in nature via the r-process. A correct understanding and modeling requires the knowledge of nuclear properties far from stability and a detailed prescription of the astrophysical environment. Experiments at CERN/ISOLDE have played a pioneering role in exploring the characteristics of nuclear structure in terms of masses and beta-decay properties. Initial examinations paid attention to far unstable nuclei with magic neutron numbers related to r-process peaks, while present activities are centered on the evolution of shell effects with the distance from the valley of stability. We first show in site-independent applications the effect of both types of nuclear properties on r-process abundances. Then, we explore the results of calculations related to two different `realistic' astrophysical sites, (i) the supernova neutrino wind and (ii) neutron star mergers. We close with a list of remaining theoretical and experimental challenges needed to overcome for a full understanding of the nature of the r-process, and the role CERN/ISOLDE can play in this process.Comment: LATEX, 38 pages, 16 figures, submitted to Hyperfine Interaction