Visualizing the r-process

The rapid neutron-capture process, or r-process, is the set of nuclear reactions responsible for the formation of roughly half of all elements heavier than iron, such as gold and uranium. However, the particular astrophysical site and nuclear conditions favorable for the r-process to occur remain unclear. To better understand this mystery, we use PRISM (Portable Routines for Integrated nucleoSynthesis Modeling) which generates data that predicts the time-evolution and final abundances of isotopes under different astrophysical conditions and with distinct sets of input nuclear physics. From these simulations, we then create visualization tools and plots to gain a clearer understanding of the r-process data. These visualization tools include plots of the nuclear abundance patterns, abundance ratios of key nuclei in parameter space, strength of shell closures, fission flows as compared to decay rates, and r-process evolution animations. The purpose of these visualizations is to compare how variations in initial conditions and nuclear data shape the outcome of r-process nucleosynthesis, thus identifying physical trends and possible signatures that point to specific astrophysical origins.