Nucleosynthesis of lighter heavy elements in neutrino-driven winds

Julia Bliss, TU-Darmstadt
Wednesday, May 06, 4:00 PM - JINA-CEE Seminar
1221B FRIB Laboratory

Abstract:  Neutrino-driven winds that follow core-collapse supernova explosions are an exciting astrophysical site for the synthesis of heavy elements. Although recent hydrodynamical simulations of the wind show that the conditions are not neutron-rich enough for the r-process, neutrino-driven winds may be the astrophysical site where lighter heavy elements between Sr and Ag are produced. The p-only nuclides 92,94Mo and 96,98Ru have raised interest since their nucleosynthesis origin in the solar system (SoS) is a long lasting mystery. We have performed systematic nucleosynthesis study to identify the necessary conditions for the synthesis of the Mo and Ru isotopes based on neutrino-driven winds and have investigated whether the wind can explain the SoS abundances of 92,94Mo and 96,98Ru . In neutron-rich winds, (α,n) reactions are key to move matter towards heavier elements. Due to the deficit of experimental information, most of the reactions rates are calculated with statistical models. We will present the impact of uncertainties in (α,n) reaction rates on the nucleosynthesis of elements between Sr and Ag in neutrino-driven winds.