The diversity of stellar nucleosynthesis sites in the s- to i-process and n-process range
ORAL · Invited
Abstract
Based on modern stellar simulations and observations, at least four different neutron-capture processes are needed to explain the production of heavy elements beyond iron in stars. The slow neutron-capture process (s-process) and the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) were introduced decades ago in order to explain the solar system abundances, even before detailed stellar computational simulations were available. Recently, the existence of the intermediate neutron-capture process (i-process) was confirmed, with typical neutron densities in the order of 1013-1016 neutrons cm-3 in-between the s-process and the r-process. The i-process explains a number of puzzling observations in stars with different metallicities and in presolar grains, all of them not compatible with neither the s-process and the r-process signatures. Finally, the n-process is a neutron-capture process activated in Core-Collapse Supernovae, with peak neutron density generated typically larger than 1018 neutrons cm-3. Its signature has been identified in presolar grains. The 13C(α,n)16O reaction is a crucial source of neutrons to power the s-process and the i-process production, and the 22Ne(α,n)25Mg is a neutron source for the s-process and the n-process. In this contribution I will give an introduction to the diversity of the nucleosynthesis sites where the s-process, the i-process and the n-process are activated. I will also discuss their observational signatures and current needs from stellar theory and nuclear astrophysics to improve our present understanding of these processes.
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Presenters
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Marco Pignatari
Konkoly Observatory/CSFK, Hungary
Authors
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Marco Pignatari
Konkoly Observatory/CSFK, Hungary