Engineering topics

Rauscher, Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to Rauscher, Thomas.

5 records

DOE OSTI2021

129 I and 247 Cm in meteorites constrain the last astrophysical source of solar r-process elements

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 understood. We demonstrate that the near-identical half-lives (≃15.6 million years) of the radioactive r-process nuclei iodine-129 and curium-247 preserve their ratio, irrespective of the time between production and incorporation into the Solar System. We constrain the last r-process source by comparing the measured meteoritic ratio 129 I/ 247 Cm = 438 ± 184 with nucleosynthesis calculations based on neutron star merger and magneto-rotational supernova simulations. Moderately neutron-rich conditions, often found in merger disk ejecta simulations, are most consistent with the meteoritic value. Uncertain nuclear physics data limit our confidence in this conclusion.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Nuclear reactions for nucleosynthesis beyond Fe

Many more nuclear transitions have to be known in the determination of stellar reactivities for trans-iron nucleosynthesis than for reactions of light nuclei. This requires different theoretical and experimental approaches. Some of the issues specific for trans-iron nucleosynthesis are discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2013

EUROPIUM s-PROCESS SIGNATURE AT CLOSE-TO-SOLAR METALLICITY IN STARDUST SiC GRAINS FROM ASYMPTOTIC GIANT BRANCH STARS

Individual mainstream stardust silicon carbide (SiC) grains and a SiC-enriched bulk sample from the Murchison carbonaceous meteorite have been analyzed by the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe-Reverse Geometry for Eu isotopes. The mainstream grains are believed to have condensed in the outflows of {approx}1.5-3 M{sub Sun} carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with close-to-solar metallicity. The {sup 151}Eu fractions [fr({sup 151}Eu) = {sup 151}Eu/({sup 151}Eu+{sup 153}Eu)] derived from our measurements are compared with previous astronomical observations of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars enriched in elements made by slow neutron captures (the s-process). Despite the difference in metallicity between the parent stars of the grains and the metal-poor stars, the fr({sup 151}Eu) values derived from our measurements agree well with fr({sup 151}Eu) values derived from astronomical observations. We have also compared the SiC data with theoretical predictions of the evolution of Eu isotopic ratios in the envelope of AGB stars. Because of the low Eu abundances in the SiC grains, the fr({sup 151}Eu) values derived from our measurements show large uncertainties, in most cases being larger than the difference between solar and predicted fr({sup 151}Eu) values. The SiC aggregate yields a fr({sup 151}Eu) value within the range observed in the single grains and provides a more precise result (fr({sup 151}Eu) = 0.54 {+-} 0.03, 95% conf.), but is approximately 12% higher than current s-process predictions. The AGB models can match the SiC data if we use an improved formalism to evaluate the contribution of excited nuclear states in the calculation of the {sup 151}Sm(n, {gamma}) stellar reaction rate.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

NUCLEOSYNTHESIS IN CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVA EXPLOSIONS TRIGGERED BY A QUARK-HADRON PHASE TRANSITION

We explore heavy-element nucleosynthesis in the explosion of massive stars that are triggered by a quark-hadron phase transition during the early post-bounce phase of core-collapse supernovae. The present study is based on general-relativistic radiation hydrodynamics simulations with three-flavor Boltzmann neutrino transport in spherical symmetry, which utilize a quark-hadron hybrid equation of state based on the MIT bag model for strange quark matter. The quark-hadron phase transition inside the stellar core forms a shock wave propagating toward the surface of the proto-neutron star. This shock wave results in an explosion and ejects neutron-rich matter from the outer accreted layers of the proto-neutron star. Later, during the cooling phase, the proto-neutron star develops a proton-rich neutrino-driven wind. We present a detailed analysis of the nucleosynthesis outcome in both neutron-rich and proton-rich ejecta and compare our integrated nucleosynthesis with observations of the solar system and metal-poor stars. For our standard scenario, we find that a 'weak' r-process occurs and elements up to the second peak (A {approx} 130) are successfully synthesized. Furthermore, uncertainties in the explosion dynamics could barely allow us to obtain the strong r-process which produces heavier isotopes, including the third peak (A {approx} 195) and actinide elements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

FORMALISM FOR INCLUSION OF MEASURED REACTION CROSS SECTIONS IN STELLAR RATES INCLUDING UNCERTAINTIES AND ITS APPLICATION TO NEUTRON CAPTURE IN THE s-PROCESS

A general formalism to include experimental reaction cross sections into calculations of stellar rates is presented. It also allows us to assess the maximally possible reduction of uncertainties in the stellar rates by experiments. As an example for the application of the procedure, stellar neutron capture reactivities from KADoNiS v0.3 are revised and the remaining uncertainties shown. Many of the uncertainties in the stellar rates are larger than those obtained experimentally. This has important consequences for s-process models and the interpretation of meteoritic data because it allows the rates of some reactions to vary within a larger range than previously assumed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗