Can Neutron Star Mergers Alone Explain the r-process Enrichment of the Milky Way?

• Published in: Astrophysical journal. Letters Vol. 943; no. 2; p. L12
• Main Authors: Kobayashi, Chiaki, Mandel, Ilya, Belczynski, Krzysztof, Goriely, Stephane, Janka, Thomas H., Just, Oliver, Ruiter, Ashley J., Vanbeveren, Dany, Kruckow, Matthias U., Briel, Max M., Eldridge, Jan J., Stanway, Elizabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austin The American Astronomical Society 01.02.2023; IOP Publishing
• Subjects: Abundance; Astronomical models; Binary stars; Black holes; Chemical abundances; Chemical evolution; Compact objects; Delay time; Ejecta; Evolution; Galactic evolution; Galaxy chemical evolution; Milky Way; Milky Way Galaxy; Neutron stars; Nucleosynthesis; R-process; Star mergers; Stars; Supernovae

Comparing Galactic chemical evolution models to the observed elemental abundances in the Milky Way, we show that neutron star mergers can be a leading r-process site only if at low metallicities such mergers have very short delay times and significant ejecta masses that are facilitated by the masses...