The impact of nuclear physics uncertainties on nucleosynthesis in
thermonuclear supernovae has not been fully explored using comprehensive and
systematic studies with multiple models. To better constrain predictions of
yields from these phenomena, we have performed a sensitivity study by
post-processing thermodynamic histories from two different hydrodynamic,
Chandrasekhar-mass explosion models. We have individually varied all input
reaction and, for the first time, weak interaction rates by a factor of ten and
compared the yields in each case to yields using standard rates. Of the 2305
nuclear reactions in our network, we find that the rates of only 53 reactions
affect the yield of any species with an abundance of at least 10^-8 M_sun by at
least a factor of two, in either model. The rates of the 12C(a,g), 12C+12C,
20Ne(a,p), 20Ne(a,g) and 30Si(p,g) reactions are among those that modify the
most yields when varied by a factor of ten. From the individual variation of
658 weak interaction rates in our network by a factor of ten, only the stellar
28Si(b+)28Al, 32S(b+)32P and 36Ar(b+)36Cl rates significantly affect the yields
of species in a model. Additional tests reveal that reaction rate changes over
temperatures T > 1.5 GK have the greatest impact, and that ratios of
radionuclides that may be used as explosion diagnostics change by a factor of
less than two from the variation of individual rates by a factor of 10.
Nucleosynthesis in the two adopted models is relatively robust to variations in
individual nuclear reaction and weak interaction rates. Laboratory measurements
of a limited number of reactions would help to further constrain predictions.
As well, we confirm the need for a consistent treatment for relevant stellar
weak interaction rates since simultaneous variation of these rates (as opposed
to individual variation) has a significant effect on yields in our models.Comment: accepted by A&A, 14 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
