Related papers: Hierarchical Triples as Early Sources of $r$-proce…
The existence of neutron star mergers has been supported since the discovery of the binary pulsar and the observation of its orbital energy loss, consistent with General Relativity. They are considered nucleosynthesis sites of the rapid…
The merger of two neutron stars or of a neutron star and a black hole often result in the ejection of a few percents of a solar mass of matter expanding at high speed in space. Being matter coming from the violent disruption of a neutron…
Neutron star mergers have been long considered as promising sites of heavy $r$-process nucleosynthesis. We overview observational evidence supporting this scenario including: the total amount of $r$-process elements in the Galaxy, extreme…
Since the discovery of the binary neutron star merger GW170817 and its associated kilonova, neutron star mergers have been established as a key production channel for r-process elements in the Universe. However, various lines of evidence,…
The discovery of the radioactively powered kilonova AT2017gfo, associated with the short-duration gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A and the gravitational wave source GW170817, has provided the first direct evidence supporting binary neutron star…
Compact binary mergers involving at least one neutron star are promising sites for the synthesis of $\textit{r}$-process elements found in stars and planets. However, mergers can take place at significant offsets from their host galaxies,…
Surface abundance observations of halo stars hint at the occurrence of $r$-process nucleosynthesis at low metallicity ($\rm{[Fe/H]< -3}$), possibly within the first $10^8$ yr after the formation of the first stars. Possible loci of…
The recent aLIGO/aVirgo discovery of gravitational waves from the neutron star merger (NSM) GW170817 and the follow up kilonova observations have shown that NSMs produce copious amount of r-process material. However, it is difficult to…
The origin of half of the rapid neutron-capture nucleosynthesis (r-process) elements in the Universe remains an open question. Binary neutron star (BNS) mergers have been shown to face difficulties in reproducing the observed r-process…
In this study we explore the nucleosynthesis in the dynamic ejecta of compact binary mergers. We are particularly interested in the question how sensitive the resulting abundance patterns are to the parameters of the merging system.…
There are many candidate sites of the r-process: core-collapse supernovae (including rare magnetorotational core-collapse supernovae), neutron star mergers, and neutron star/black hole mergers. The chemical enrichment of…
When binary systems of neutron stars merge, a very small fraction of their rest mass is ejected, either dynamically or secularly. This material is neutron-rich and its nucleosynthesis could provide the astrophysical site for the production…
Binary mergers (NSMs) of double neutron star (and black hole-neutron star) systems are suggested to be major sites of r-process elements in the Galaxy by recent hydrodynamical and nucleosynthesis studies. It has been pointed out, however,…
Star-to-star dispersion of r-process elements has been observed in a significant number of old, metal-poor globular clusters. We investigate early-time neutron-star mergers as the mechanism for this enrichment. Through both numerical…
A long-standing scientific puzzle has been to explain the origin of the heaviest elements in the Universe and, more particularly, the production of the elements heavier than iron up to uranium. The rapid neutron capture process (or…
The discovery of gravitational waves has confirmed old theoretical predictions that binary systems formed with compact stars play a crucial role not only for cosmology and nuclear astrophysics. As a byproduct of these and subsequent…
The exact evolution of elements in the universe, from primordial to heavier elements produced via the r-process, is still under scrutiny. The supernova deaths of the very first stars led to the enrichment of their local environments, and…
We study the enrichment of the interstellar medium with rapid neutron capture (r-process) elements produced in binary neutron star (BNS) mergers. We use a semi-analytic model to describe galactic evolution, with merger rates and time delay…
Neutron star mergers (NSMs) are promising astrophysical sites for the rapid neutron-capture ("$r$-") process, but can their integrated yields explain the majority of heavy-element material in the Galaxy? One method to address this question…
We quantify the stellar abundances of neutron-rich r-process nuclei in cosmological zoom-in simulations of a Milky Way-mass galaxy from the Feedback In Realistic Environments project. The galaxy is enriched with r-process elements by binary…