Identification of Key Isotopes in Kilonova Heating

Kelsey Lund; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss; Peter Schauss

Identification of Key Isotopes in Kilonova Heating

ORAL

Abstract

The rapid neutron capture process (r-process) is one of the main mechanisms whereby elements heavier than iron are synthesized, and is responsible for the creation of the heaviest stable actinides. Observations of the gravitational wave event GW170817, and its optical counterpart, AT2017gfo, support neutron star mergers as an r-process production site. Accurately and reliably modelling yields and observational signatures from these sites requires inputs from nuclear physics, which introduce potentially large uncertainties. We use nucleosynthesis modeling to evaluate the effect of varying these inputs, including different nuclear mass models, fission decay rates, and daughter product distributions in lanthanide and actinide production. I show that applying different nuclear physics inputs generates discrepancies in abundances of key isotopes which contribute significantly to the overall nuclear energy generation in the merger event, which is a necessary component of kilonova light curve modeling.

Nov. 6, 2020, 12:12 PM – Nov. 6, 2020, 12:24 PM

Authors

Kelsey Lund

North Carolina State University
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.
Peter Schauss

University of Notre Dame, Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Carolina State University, University of Notre dame, Columbia University, Mississippi State Univ, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, JLAB, MIT, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Florida State University, NHMFL, University College Dublin, Department of Physics, Florida State University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CNR-Instituto Nanoscienze, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170,USA, Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Francis Marion University, University of Richmond, Valdosta State University, University of Pittsburgh, Fermi National Lab, university of minnesota, Univ of Virginia, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, IonQ Inc.