Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: Recent observations of r -process-enriched metal-poor star abundances reveal a nonuniform abundance pattern for elements Z ⩽ 47. Based on noncorrelation trends between elemental abundances as a function of Eu richness in a large sample of metal-poor stars, it is shown that the mixing of a consistent and robust light element primary process (LEPP) and the r -process pattern found in r -II metal-poor stars explains such apparent nonuniformity. Furthermore, we derive the abundance pattern of the LEPP from observation and show that it is consistent with a missing component in the solar abundances when using a recent s -process model. As the astrophysical site of the LEPP is not known, we explore the possibility of a neutron-capture process within a site-independent approach. It is suggested that scenarios with neutron densities n n ⩽ 10 13 cm −3 or in the range n n ⩾ 10 24 cm −3 best explain the observations.
Source: The Astrophysical Journal
DOI: 10.1086/523084
Authors: F. Montes, T. C. Beers, J. Cowan, T. Elliot, K. Farouqi, R. Gallino, M. Heil, K.‐L. Kratz, B. Pfeiffer, M. Pignatari, H. Schatz
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: Operation of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University as a National User Facility and Support for its Research Program, Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics - JINA, The Age, Formation and Evolution of the Elements, An Intensive Search for r-process-Enhanced Stars, and Abundance Patterns in the Early Galaxy
OpenAlex ID: W2050197990