Related papers: Representation of s-process abundances for compari…
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…
The composition of the early Solar System can be inferred from meteorites. Many elements heavier than iron were formed by the rapid neutron-capture process (r process), but the astrophysical sources where this occurred remain poorly…
We calculate and discuss the chemical evolution of the isotopic silicon abundances in the interstellar medium at distances and times appropriate to the birth of the solar system. This has several objectives, some of which are related to…
Uncertainties in nuclear models have a major impact on simulations that aim at understanding the origin of heavy elements in the universe through the rapid neutron capture process ($r$ process) of nucleosynthesis. Within the framework of…
The isotopic heterogeneity of the Solar System shown by meteorite analyses is more pronounced for its earliest objects, the Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs). This suggests that it was inherited from spatial variations in different…
To better characterize the abundance patterns produced by the r-process, we have derived new abundances or upper limits for the heavy elements zinc (Zn), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), europium (Eu), and lead (Pb). Our sample of 161…
We test the hypothesis that the observed first-peak (Sr, Y, Zr) and second-peak (Ba) s-process elemental abundances in low-metallicity Milky Way stars, and the abundances of the elements Mo and Ru, can be explained by a pervasive r-process…
GW170817 has confirmed binary neutron star mergers as one of the sites for rapid neutron capture ($r$) process. However, there are large theoretical and experimental uncertainties associated with the resulting nucleosynthesis calculations…
Isotope anomalies provide important information about early solar system evolution. Here we report molybdenum isotope abundances determined in samples of various meteorite classes. There is no fractionation of molybdenum isotopes in our…
The bulk chemical compositions of planets are uncertain, even for major elements such as Mg and Si. This is due to the fact that the samples available for study all originate from relatively shallow depths. Comparison of the stable isotope…
The nucleosynthesis of proton-rich isotopes is calculated for multi-dimensional Chandrasekhar-mass models of Type Ia supernovae with different metallicities. The predicted abundances of the short-lived radioactive isotopes 92Nb, 97Tc, 98Tc…
Nucleosynthetic Fe isotopic anomalies in meteorites may be used to reconstruct the early dynamical evolution of the solar system and to identify the origin and nature of the material that built planets. Using high-precision iron isotopic…
The astrophysical site(s) of the r-process are uncertain, with candidates such as neutron star mergers and magneto-rotational supernovae predicting different event rates, delay times, and heavy-element yields. Galactic chemical evolution…
Roughly half of the heavy elements (atomic mass greater than that of iron) are believed to be synthesized in the late evolutionary stages of stars with masses between 0.8 and 8 solar masses. Deep inside the star, nuclei (mainly iron)…
The determination of heavy element abundances from planetary nebula (PN) spectra provides an exciting opportunity to study the nucleosynthesis occurring in the progenitor asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star. We perform post-processing…
The framework for the interpretation of neutron-capture elements observed in Population II stars, established 20-25 years ago, is that these stars primarily exhibit r-process signatures, due to the inefficiency of the s-process at low…
We investigate the enrichment in elements produced by the slow neutron-capture process ($s$-process) in the globular clusters M4 (NGC 6121) and M22 (NGC 6656). Stars in M4 have homogeneous abundances of Fe and neutron-capture elements, but…
We determine the abundances of neutron-capture elements from Sr to Eu for five very-metal-poor stars (-3<[Fe/H]<-2) in the Milky Way halo to reveal the origin of light neutron-capture elements. Previous spectroscopic studies have shown…
The r-process, or the rapid neutron-capture process, of stellar nucleosynthesis is called for to explain the production of the stable (and some long-lived radioactive) neutron-rich nuclides heavier than iron that are observed in stars of…
Stardust grains recovered from meteorites provide high-precision snapshots of the isotopic composition of the stellar environment in which they formed. Attributing their origin to specific types of stars, however, often proves difficult.…