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Recent observations of r-process-enriched metal-poor star abundances reveal a non-uniform abundance pattern for elements $Zleq47$. Based on non-correlation 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 non-uniformity. 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 $n_{n}leq10^{13}$ $cm^{-3}$ or in the range $n_{n}geq10^{24}$ $cm^{-3}$ best explain the observations.
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We present preliminary results of stellar structure and nucleosynthesis calculations for some early stars. The study (still in progress) seeks to explore the expected chemical signatures of second generation low- and intermediate-mass stars that may have formed out of a combination of Big Bang and Pop III (Z=0) supernovae material. Although the study is incomplete at this stage, we find some important features in our models. The initial chemical composition of these early stars is found to be significantly different to that given by just scaling the solar composition. The most notable difference is the lack of nitrogen. This should not affect the structural evolution significantly as nitrogen will be quickly produced through the CNO cycle due to the presence of carbon (and oxygen). It should however effect the nucleosynthetic yields. We also find that our very low metallicity five solar-mass model, with [Fe/H]=-4.01, does not reach the RGB - it goes directly to the helium burning phase. It does not experience the first dredge-up either. This is not a new finding but it will have an effect on the surface chemical evolution of the stars and should alter the nucleosynthetic yields that we are currently calculating. Our higher metallicity stars, with a globular cluster composition at [Fe/H]= -1.40, do experience all the standard phases of evolution but also have significantly higher surface temperatures and luminosities compared to solar metallicity stars. Their internal temperatures are also higher which should again effect the final nucleosynthetic yields.
The first metal enrichment in the universe was made by supernova (SN) explosions of population (Pop) III stars. The trace remains in abundance patterns of extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars. We investigate the properties of nucleosynthesis in Pop III SNe by means of comparing their yields with the abundance patterns of the EMP stars. We focus on (1) jet-induced SNe with various energy deposition rates [$dot{E}_{rm dep}=(0.3-1500)times10^{51}{rm ergs s^{-1}}$], and (2) SNe of stars with various main-sequence masses ($M_{rm ms}=13-50M_odot$) and explosion energies [$E=(1-40)times10^{51}$ergs]. The varieties of Pop III SNe can explain varieties of the EMP stars: (1) higher [C/Fe] for lower [Fe/H] and (2) trends of abundance ratios [X/Fe] against [Fe/H].
We examine the Pb and Th abundances in 27 metal-poor stars (-3.1 < [Fe/H] < -1.4) whose very heavy metal (Z > 56) enrichment was produced only by the rapid (r-) nucleosynthesis process. New abundances are derived from HST/STIS, Keck/HIRES, and VLT/UVES spectra and combined with other measurements from the literature to form a more complete picture of nucleosynthesis of the heaviest elements produced in the r-process. In all cases, the abundance ratios among the rare earth elements and the 3rd r-process peak elements considered (La, Eu, Er, Hf, and Ir) are constant and equivalent to the scaled solar system r-process abundance distribution. We compare the stellar observations with r-process calculations within the classical waiting-point approximation. In these computations a superposition of 15 weighted neutron-density components in the range 23 < log(n_n) < 30 is fit to the r-process abundance peaks to successfully reproduce both the stable solar system isotopic distribution and the stable heavy element abundance pattern between Ba and U in low-metallicity stars. Under these astrophysical conditions, which are typical of the main r-process, we find very good agreement between the stellar Pb r-process abundances and those predicted by our model. For stars with anomalously high Th/Eu ratios (the so-called actinide boost), our observations demonstrate that any nucleosynthetic deviations from the main r-process affect--at most--only the elements beyond the 3rd r-process peak, namely Pb, Th, and U. Our theoretical calculations also indicate that possible r-process abundance losses by nuclear fission are negligible for isotopes along the r-process path between Pb and the long-lived radioactive isotopes of Th and U.
Measurement and astrophysical interpretation of characteristic gamma-ray lines from nucleosynthesis was one of the prominent science goals of the INTEGRAL mission and in particular its spectrometer SPI. Emission from 26Al and from 60Fe decay lines originates from accumulated ejecta of nucleosynthesis sources, and appears diffuse in nature. 26Al and 60Fe are believed to originate mostly from massive star clusters. Gamma-ray observations open an interesting window to trace the fate and flow of nucleosynthesis ejecta, after they have left the immediate sources and their birth sites, and on their path to mix with ambient interstellar gas. The INTEGRAL 26Al emission image confirms earlier findings of clumpiness and an extent along the entire plane of the Galaxy, supporting its origin from massive-star groups. INTEGRAL spectroscopy resolved the line and found Doppler broadenings and systematic shifts from large-scale galactic rotation. But an excess velocity of ~200 km/s suggests that 26Al decays preferentially within large superbubbles that extend in forward directions between spiral arms. The detection of 26Al line emission from nearby Orion and the Eridanus superbubble supports this interpretation. Positrons from beta+ decays of 26Al and other nucleosynthesis ejecta have been found to not explain the morphology of positron annihilation gamma-rays at 511 keV that have been measured by INTEGRAL. The 60Fe signal measured by INTEGRAL is diffuse but too weak for an imaging interpretation, an origin from point-like/concentrated sources is excluded. The 60Fe/26Al ratio is constrained to a range 0.2-0.4. Beyond improving precision of these results, diffuse nucleosynthesis contributions from novae (through 22Na radioactivity) and from past neutron star mergers in our Galaxy (from r-process radioactivity) are exciting new prospects for the remaining mission extensions.
We perform calculations of dark photon production and decay in the early universe for ranges of dark photon masses and vacuum coupling with standard model photons. Simultaneously and self-consistently with dark photon production and decay, our calculations include a complete treatment of weak decoupling and big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) physics. These calculations incorporate all relevant weak, electromagnetic, and strong nuclear reactions, including charge-changing (isospin-changing) lepton capture and decay processes. They reveal a rich interplay of dark photon production, decay, and associated out-of-equilibrium transport of entropy into the decoupling neutrino seas. Most importantly, the self-consistent nature of our simulations allows us to capture the magnitude and phasing of entropy injection and dilution. Entropy injection-induced alteration of the time-temperature-scale factor relation during weak decoupling and BBN leads to changes in the light element abundance yields and the total radiation content (as parametrized by $N_{rm eff}$). These changes suggest ways to extend previous dark photon BBN constraints. However, our calculations also identify ranges of dark photon mass and couplings not yet constrained, but perhaps accessible and probable, in future Stage-4 cosmic microwave background experiments and future high precision primordial deuterium abundance measurements.
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