The Weak s-Process in Massive Stars and its Dependence on the Neutron Capture Cross Sections

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 710; no. 2; pp. 1557 - 1577
• Main Authors: Pignatari, M, Gallino, R, Heil, M, Wiescher, M, Käppeler, F, Herwig, F, Bisterzo, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 20.02.2010; IOP
• Subjects: ABUNDANCE; ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES; ALKALINE EARTH METALS; ALPHA REACTIONS; ARSENIC; ARSENIC 75; ARSENIC ISOTOPES; Astronomy; ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BARYON REACTIONS; BARYONS; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS; COPPER; COPPER ISOTOPES; CROSS SECTIONS; Earth, ocean, space; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; EVEN-ODD NUCLEI; EVOLUTION; Exact sciences and technology; FERMIONS; GALLIUM; GERMANIUM; GERMANIUM 74; GERMANIUM ISOTOPES; HADRON REACTIONS; HADRONS; INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI; IRON; ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; MAGNESIUM 25; MAGNESIUM ISOTOPES; METALS; MILLISECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; NEON 22 TARGET; NEUTRON REACTIONS; NEUTRONS; NICKEL; NICKEL 63; NICKEL ISOTOPES; NUCLEAR REACTIONS; NUCLEI; NUCLEON REACTIONS; NUCLEONS; NUCLEOSYNTHESIS; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; OXYGEN 16; OXYGEN ISOTOPES; RADIOISOTOPES; S PROCESS; SELENIUM; SELENIUM 78; SELENIUM ISOTOPES; SEMIMETALS; SIMULATION; SLOW NEUTRONS; STABLE ISOTOPES; STAR EVOLUTION; STARS; STRONTIUM; SYNTHESIS; TARGETS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; s process; nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances; Nucleosynthesis; Stellar abundance; Neutron capture; Cross sections; stars: abundances; Massive stars

The slow neutron capture process in massive stars (weak s process) produces most of the s-process isotopes between iron and strontium. Neutrons are provided by the {sup 22}Ne(alpha,n){sup 25}Mg reaction, which is activated at the end of the convective He-burning core and in the subsequent convective...