dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaNucleosynthesis in neutron-rich ejecta from quark-novae
| Authors | Prashanth Jaikumar, Bradley S. Meyer, Kaori Otsuki, Rachid Ouyed |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | nucl-th/0610013 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/nucl-th/0610013 |
| DOI | 10.1051/0004-6361:20066593 |
| Journal | Astron.Astrophys.471:227-236,2007 |
Abstract
We explore heavy-element nucleosynthesis by rapid neutron capture (r-process) in the decompressing ejecta from the surface of a neutron star. The decompression is triggered by a violent phase transition to strange quark matter (quark-nova scenario). The presence of neutron-rich large Z nuclei (40,95) < (Z,A) < (70,177), the large neutron-to-seed ratio, and the low electron fraction Ye ~ 0.03 in the decompressing ejecta present favorable conditions for the r-process. We perform network calculations that are adapted to the quark-nova conditions, and which mimic usual (n-gamma) equilibrium r-process calculations during the initially cold decompression phase. They match to dynamical r-process calculations at densities below neutron drip (4.10^11 g cm-3). We present results for the final element abundance distribution with and without heating from nuclear reactions, and compare to the solar abundance pattern of r-process elements. We highlight the distinguishing features of quark-novae by contrasting it with conventional nucleosynthetic sites such as type II supernovae and neutron star mergers, especially in the context of heavy-element compositions of extremely metal-deficient stars.
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"abstract": "We explore heavy-element nucleosynthesis by rapid neutron capture (r-process)\nin the decompressing ejecta from the surface of a neutron star. The\ndecompression is triggered by a violent phase transition to strange quark\nmatter (quark-nova scenario). The presence of neutron-rich large Z nuclei\n(40,95) \u003c (Z,A) \u003c (70,177), the large neutron-to-seed ratio, and the low\nelectron fraction Ye ~ 0.03 in the decompressing ejecta present favorable\nconditions for the r-process. We perform network calculations that are adapted\nto the quark-nova conditions, and which mimic usual (n-gamma) equilibrium\nr-process calculations during the initially cold decompression phase. They\nmatch to dynamical r-process calculations at densities below neutron drip\n(4.10^11 g cm-3). We present results for the final element abundance\ndistribution with and without heating from nuclear reactions, and compare to\nthe solar abundance pattern of r-process elements. We highlight the\ndistinguishing features of quark-novae by contrasting it with conventional\nnucleosynthetic sites such as type II supernovae and neutron star mergers,\nespecially in the context of heavy-element compositions of extremely\nmetal-deficient stars.",
"arxiv_id": "nucl-th/0610013",
"authors": [
"Prashanth Jaikumar",
"Bradley S. Meyer",
"Kaori Otsuki",
"Rachid Ouyed"
],
"categories": [
"nucl-th",
"astro-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1051/0004-6361:20066593",
"journal_ref": "Astron.Astrophys.471:227-236,2007",
"title": "Nucleosynthesis in neutron-rich ejecta from quark-novae",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/nucl-th/0610013"
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