Implications of Nuclear Heating on $r$-process Nucleosynthesis Simulations

Rare supernovae and neutron star mergers are the most-favored astrophysical sites for producing rapid neutron capture ($r$-process) elements in the universe. The $r$-process yields from these events are simulated using nuclear network calculations that incorporate astrophysical trajectories and various nuclear models to represent the properties of thousands of nuclear species. Both the astrophysical trajectories and nuclear models introduce uncertainties that can significantly affect the final abundance patterns. To achieve more realistic simulations, nuclear reaction networks must account for nuclear heating, as temperature variations can influence the $r$-process environment. Additionally, the diverse nuclear models, which include different masses and reaction rates, further impact nucleosynthesis outcomes. In this study, we present new calculations of nucleosynthesis yields based on unique astrophysical trajectories sampled from a broad parameter space, including entropy ($s/k_B$), expansion timescale ($\tau$), and electron fraction ($Y_e$​). These calculations utilize 12 distinct sets of nuclear models. We detail our implementation of nuclear heating, analyze the resulting nucleosynthetic signatures, and explore how the reheated trajectories and the underlying nuclear physics shape these signatures.