Heavy Elements In Stars Research Articles

A self-synthesized origin for heavy metals in hot subdwarf stars

Context. A number of He-rich hot subdwarf stars present high abundances for trans-iron elements, such as Sr, Y, Zr, and Pb. Diffusion processes are important in hot subdwarf stars and it is generally believed that the high abundances of heavy elements in these peculiar stars are due to the action of radiative levitation. However, during the formation of He-rich hot subdwarf stars, hydrogen can be ingested into the convective zone driven by the He-core flash. It is known that episodes of protons being ingested into He-burning convective zones can lead to neutron-capture processes and the formation of heavy elements. Aims. In this work, we aim to explore, for the first time, whether neutron-capture processes can occur in late He-core flashes taking place in the cores of the progenitors of He-rich hot subdwarfs. We aim to explore the possibility of a self-synthesized origin for the heavy elements observed in some He-rich hot subdwarf stars. Methods. We computed a detailed evolutionary model for a stripped red-giant star using a stellar evolution code with a nuclear network comprising 32 isotopes. Then we post-processed the stellar models in the phase of helium and hydrogen burning using a post-processing nucleosynthesis code with a nuclear network of 1190 species, which allowed us to follow the neutron-capture processes in detail. Results. We find the occurrence of neutron-capture processes in our model, with neutron densities reaching a value of ∼5 × 1012 cm−3. We determined that the trans-iron elements are enhanced in the surface by 1 to 2 dex, as compared to initial compositions. Moreover, the relative abundance pattern [Xi/Fe] produced by neutron-capture processes closely resembles those observed in some He-rich hot subdwarf stars, hinting at a possible self-synthesized origin for the heavy elements in these stars. Conclusions. We conclude that intermediate neutron-capture processes can occur during a proton ingestion event in the He-core flash of stripped red-giant stars. This mechanism offers a natural channel for the production of the heavy elements observed in certain He-rich hot subdwarf stars.

The neutron time-of-flight facility n_TOF at CERN Recent facility upgrades and detector developments

Based on an idea by Carlo Rubbia, the n_TOF facility at CERN has been operating for over 20 years. It is a neutron spallation source, driven by the 20 GeV/c proton beam from the CERN PS accelerator. Neutrons in a very wide energy range (from GeV, down to sub-eV kinetic energy) are generated by a massive Lead spallation target feeding two experimental areas. EAR1, horizonal with respect to the proton beam direction is set at 185 meters from the spallation target. EAR2, on the vertical line from the spallation source, is placed at 20 m. Neutron energies for experiments are selected by the time-of-flight technique (hence the name n_TOF), while the long flight paths ensure a very good energy resolution. Over one hundred experiments have been performed by the n_TOF Collaboration at CERN, with applications ranging from nuclear astrophysics (synthesis of the heavy elements in stars, big bang nucleosynthesis, nuclear cosmo-chronology), to advanced nuclear technologies (nuclear data for applications, nuclear safety), as well as for basic nuclear science (reaction mechanisms, structure and decay of highly excited compound states). During the planned shutdown of the CERN accelerator complex between 2019 and 2021, the facility went through a substantial upgrade with a new target-moderator assembly, refurbishing of the neutron beam lines and experimental areas. An additional measuring and irradiation station (the NEAR Station) has been envisaged and its capabilities for performing material test studies and new physics opportunities are presently explored. An overview of the facility and of the activities performed at CERN is presented in this contribution, with a particular emphasis on the most relevant experiments for nuclear astrophysics.

Indirect measurements of neutron-induced reaction cross sections at storage rings

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections of unstable nuclei are essential for understanding the synthesis of heavy elements in stars. However, their measurement is very difficult due to the radioactivity of the targets involved. We propose to circumvent this problem by using for the first time the surrogate reaction method in inverse kinematics at heavy-ion storage rings. In this contribution, we describe the developments we have done to perform surrogate-reaction studies at the storage rings of GSI/FAIR. In particular, we present the first results of the proof of principle experiment, which we conducted recently at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR).

Insights into AGB Nucleosynthesis Thanks to Spectroscopic Abundance Measurements in Intrinsic and Extrinsic Stars

The foundations of stellar nucleosynthesis have been established more than 70 years ago. Since then, much progress has been made, both on the theoretical side, with stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis models of increasing complexity, using more and more accurate nuclear data, and on the observational side, with the number of analyzed stars growing tremendously. In between, the complex machinery of abundance determination has been refined, taking into account model atmospheres of non-solar chemical composition, three-dimensional, non-LTE (non-local thermodynamic equilibrium) effects, and a growing number of atomic and molecular data. Neutron-capture nucleosynthesis processes, and in particular the s-process, have been scrutinized in various types of evolved stars, among which asymptotic giant branch stars, carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars and post-AGB stars. We review here some of the successes of the comparison between models and abundance measurements of heavy elements in stars, including in binaries, and outline some remaining unexplained features.

Editorial

Editorial

Eleanor Margaret Burbidge. 12 August 1919—5 April 2020

Margaret Burbidge was one of the great observational astronomers of the twentieth century. She had a natural aptitude for instrumentation, observation and the interpretation of spectroscopic data, coupled with an instinct for making optimum use of the observing facilities to which she gained access. Following her rigorous training in observational astrophysics and managing the University of London Observatory, she and Geoff Burbidge (FRS 1968), whom she married in 1948, led a peripatetic life for the following decade or more. During this time they made their most important pioneering contribution to astrophysics through their collaboration with Willy Fowler and Fred Hoyle (FRS 1957) on the origin of the chemical elements. Their famous and comprehensive B 2 FH paper of 1957 described the numerous nuclear processes that led to the synthesis of the heavy elements in stars, with element abundance values supported by decisive observational evidence. They went on to the University of Chicago/Yerkes, making pioneering observations of the kinematics of galaxies. In 1962, they both became tenured professors at the University of California at San Diego, their base for the rest of their careers. There, they were at the heart of the exciting early years of unravelling the properties of quasars, writing the first monograph on these objects in 1967. After an unhappy brief episode as the first woman director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in the UK, Margaret returned to San Diego, where she played a major role in the construction and exploitation of the faint object spectrograph of the Hubble Space Telescope, specializing in the study of the absorption line spectra of quasars. Most of her early papers were co-authored with Geoff, who supported her in every way throughout their happy marriage. In her understated way, she became a role model for women astronomers, breaking down the conscious and unconscious bias against women she encountered throughout her career. Margaret led by example and made every effort to support future generations of women astronomers.

SDSS-IV MaNGA: the ‘G-dwarf problem’ revisited

ABSTRACT The levels of heavy elements in stars are the product of enhancement by previous stellar generations, and the distribution of this metallicity among the population contains clues to the process by which a galaxy formed. Most famously, the ‘G-dwarf problem’ highlighted the small number of low-metallicity G-dwarf stars in the Milky Way, which is inconsistent with the simplest picture of a galaxy formed from a ‘closed box’ of gas. It can be resolved by treating the Galaxy as an open system that accretes gas throughout its life. This observation has classically only been made in the Milky Way, but the availability of high-quality spectral data from SDSS-IV MaNGA and the development of new analysis techniques mean that we can now make equivalent measurements for a large sample of spiral galaxies. Our analysis shows that high-mass spirals generically show a similar deficit of low-metallicity stars, implying that the Milky Way’s history of gas accretion is common. By contrast, low-mass spirals show little sign of a G-dwarf problem, presenting the metallicity distribution that would be expected if such systems evolved as pretty much closed boxes. This distinction can be understood from the differing timescales for star formation in galaxies of differing masses.

The s-process in the Nd-Pm-Sm region: Neutron activation of 147Pm

The Nd-Pm-Sm branching is of interest for the study of the s-process, related to the production of heavy elements in stars. As 148Sm and 150Sm are s-only isotopes, the understanding of the branching allows constraining the s-process neutron density. In this context the key physics input needed is the cross section of the three unstable nuclides in the region: 147Nd (10.98 d half-life), 147Pm (2.62 yr) and 148Pm (5.37 d). This paper reports on the activation measurement of 147Pm, the longest-lived of the three nuclides. The cross section measurement has been carried out by activation at the SARAF LiLiT facility using a 56(2) μg target. Compared to the single previous measurement of 147Pm, the measurement presented herein benefits from a target 2000 times more massive. The resulting Maxwellian Averaged Cross Section (MACS) to the ground and metastable states in 148Pm are 469(50) mb and 357(27) mb. These values are 41% higher (to the ground state) and 15% lower (to the metastable state) than the values reported so far, leading however to a total cross section of 826(107) mb consistent within uncertainties with the previous result and hence leaving unchanged the previous calculation of the s-process neutron density.

THE ORIGIN OF THE HEAVIEST METALS IN MOST ULTRA-FAINT DWARF GALAXIES

ABSTRACT The heaviest metals found in stars in most ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies in the Milky Way halo are generally underabundant by an order of magnitude or more when compared with stars in the halo field. Among the heavy elements produced by n-capture reactions, only Sr and Ba can be detected in red giant stars in most UFD galaxies. This limited chemical information is unable to identify the nucleosynthesis process(es) responsible for producing the heavy elements in UFD galaxies. Similar [Sr/Ba] and [Ba/Fe] ratios are found in three bright halo field stars, BD−18°5550, CS 22185–007, and CS 22891–200. Previous studies of high-quality spectra of these stars report detections of additional n-capture elements, including Eu. The [Eu/Ba] ratios in these stars span +0.41 to +0.86. These ratios and others among elements in the rare Earth domain indicate an r-process origin. These stars have some of the lowest levels of r-process enhancement known, with [Eu/H] spanning −3.95 to −3.32, and they may be considered nearby proxies for faint stars in UFD galaxies. Direct confirmation, however, must await future observations of additional heavy elements in stars in the UFD galaxies themselves.

Introduction to shell structure in exotic nuclei

The nuclear shell model is a benchmark for the description of the structure of atomic nuclei. The magic numbers associated with closed shells have long been assumed to be valid across the whole nuclear chart. Investigations in recent years of nuclei far away from nuclear stability at facilities for radioactive ion beams have revealed that the magic numbers may change locally in those exotic nuclei leading to the disappearance of classic shell gaps and the appearance of new magic numbers. These changes in shell structure also have important implications for the synthesis of heavy elements in stars and stellar explosions. In this review a brief overview of the basics of the nuclear shell model will be given together with a summary of recent theoretical and experimental activities investigating these changes in the nuclear shell structure.

A unified model for nucleosynthesis of heavy elements in stars

We prospose a unified model for the nucleosynthesis of heavy (A > 57) elements in stars. The neutron flux can be set to describe neutron capture in arbitrary neutron flux. Our approach solves the coupled differential equations, that describe the neutron capture and decays of 2696 nuclei, numerically without truncating those to include only either capture or decay as traditionally assumed in weak neutron flux (s process). As a result the synthesis of heavy nuclei always evolves along a wide band in the valley of stable nuclei. The observed abundances in the Solar system are reproduced reasonably already in the simplest version of the model. The model predicts that the nucleosynthesis in weak or modest neutron flux produces elements that are traditionally assumed to result in the high neutron flux of supernovae explosions (r process).

Can Fluffy Dust Alleviate the Subsolar Interstellar Abundance Problem?

What might be the most appropriate set of interstellar reference abundances of chemical elements ( both in gas and in dust) relative to hydrogen has been a subject of much discussion during the past decade. While historically the Sun has been taken as the reference standard, it has recently been suggested that the interstellar abundances might be better represented by those of B stars (because of their young ages), which are just similar to 60%-70% of the widely adopted solar values (subsolar''). On the other hand, the most recent estimates of the solar carbon and oxygen abundances are also close to those of B stars. If the interstellar abundances are indeed subsolar, like B stars or the newly determined solar C and O values, there might be a lack of raw material to form the dust to account for the interstellar extinction. In literature it has been argued that this problem could be solved if interstellar grains have a fluffy, porous structure, since fluffy grains are more effective in absorbing and scattering optical and ultraviolet starlight than compact grains ( on a per unit mass basis). However, we show in this work that, using the Kramers-Kronig relation, fluffy dust is not able to overcome the abundance shortage problem. A likely solution is that the abundances of refractory elements in stellar photospheres may underrepresent the composition of the interstellar material from which stars are formed, resulting either from the possible underestimation of the degree of heavy-element settling in stellar atmospheres or from the incomplete incorporation of heavy elements in stars during the star formation process.

The Far Infrared and Submillimeter Diffuse Extragalactic Background

The cosmic infrared background (CIB) radiation was a long-sought fossil of energetic processes associated with structure formation and chemical evolution since the Big Bang. The COBE Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) and Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS) were specifically designed to search for this background from 1.25 μm to millimeter wavelengths. These two instruments provided high quality, absolutely calibrated all-sky maps which have enabled the first detections of the CIB, initially at far infrared and submillimeter wavelengths, and more recently in the near infrared as well. The aim of this paper is to review the status of determinations of the CIB based upon COBE measurements. The results show that the energy in the CIB from far infrared to millimeter wavelengths is comparable to that in the integrated light of galaxies from UV to near infrared wavelengths: the universe had a luminous but dusty past. On the assumption that nucleosynthesis in stars is the energy source for most of this light, the results also imply that 1–8% of cosmic baryons has been converted to helium and heavier elements in stars. The integrated background light from UV to millimeter wavelengths, 60–120 nW m−2 sr−1, is about 10% of that in the cosmic microwave background. Current knowledge of the CIB provides significant new constraints on models of the history of star formation and galaxy evolution.

Accretion of low-metallicity gas by the Milky Way

Models of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way suggest that the observed abundances of elements heavier than helium ('metals') require a continuous infall of gas with metallicity (metal abundance) about 0.1 times the solar value. An infall rate integrated over the entire disk of the Milky Way of approximately 1 solar mass per year can solve the 'G-dwarf problem'--the observational fact that the metallicities of most long-lived stars near the Sun lie in a relatively narrow range. This infall dilutes the enrichment arising from the production of heavy elements in stars, and thereby prevents the metallicity of the interstellar medium from increasing steadily with time. However, in other spiral galaxies, the low-metallicity gas needed to provide this infall has been observed only in associated dwarf galaxies and in the extreme outer disk of the Milky Way. In the distant Universe, low-metallicity hydrogen clouds (known as 'damped Ly alpha absorbers') are sometimes seen near galaxies. Here we report a metallicity of 0.09 times solar for a massive cloud that is falling into the disk of the Milky Way. The mass flow associated with this cloud represents an infall per unit area of about the theoretically expected rate, and approximately 0.1-0.2 times the amount required for the whole Galaxy.

Abundances of heavy elements in ultra-metal-poor star CS 22892-052

Based on the heavy element nucleosynthesis theory, with the solar heavy-nuclide abundances and the observed abundances of three elements which are the representatives of the individul neutron-capture processes, a method to determine the relative contributions from the individul neutron-capture processes to the abundances of heavy elements in metal-poor stars is applied. With this method, the abundances of heavy elements in ultra-metal-poor star CS 22892-052 are calculated. It is found that the observed abundances of heavy elements in this star are well matched by our calculations in error limits, except for thorium.

Surveys for Metal-Poor Stars in the Galaxy: A New Window on the Low-Abundance Universe

Measurement of the abundances of the light and heavy elements in stars of the Milky Way galaxy is the cornerstone for the study of numerous aspects of chemical evolution in galaxies and the Universe. We stand poised to enter an era of rapid understanding, as new-generation telescopes with apertures in the 8m-10m class enable astronomers to obtain high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise near-UV, optical, and IR spectra of the stars which have locked up the chemical history of our Galaxy in their outer atmospheres. It is thus appropriate to review present surveys for the low-metallicity stars of our Galaxy, as the stars we uncover today will be studied so intensively in the coming decades.

Exploring the18F(p,γ)19Negateway to the formation of heavy elements in hot stars

An upper limit to the production of ${}^{19}\mathrm{Ne}$ through the ${}^{18}\mathrm{F}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction at the recently discovered $s$-wave resonance has been determined. The limit implies that in a hot stellar environment ${(T}_{9}g0.5)$ this reaction is not a significant gateway from the hot CNO cycle towards the production of heavier elements in stars.

Spectroscopy of heavy elements in stars

A brief history is given of astronomical observations of the spectra of heavy elements in stars, with emphasis on those elements produced by slow capture of neutrons in the stellar interior. As an example, an abundance analysis of the electrons zirconium through ruthenium, including the unstable element technetium, is described. Schemes for explaining the presence of technetium (probably 99Tc with a half-life of 2 × 105 years) and the presence of niobium (formed by decay of 93Zr with a half-life of 1.5 × 106 years) are discussed. The importance of radioactive decay of technetium from an excited nuclear state is stressed.

Role of Grains in the Drift of Plasma and Magnetic Field in Dense Interstellar Clouds

The magnetic flux through an interstellar cloud or through a part of the cloud must decrease considerably by the drift of plasma and magnetic field in order that stars form in the cloud. Because most grains are negatively charged in dense clouds (Elmegreen 1979; Umebayashi and Nakano 1980), they retard magnetic flux leakage in addition to ions (Elmegreen 1979). We investigate this effect for different situations and obtain the following results (for details, see Nakano and Umebayashi 1980): 1.For nearly spherical clouds of mass ≳ 103M⊙ sustained by magnetic force the friction of grains is efficient at nH⊙ ≳ 105 cm−3, and the magnetic flux leakage time tB is greater than a few million years at any density. Grains drift as fast as ions and electrons.2.For spherical clouds of smaller mass and disk-shaped clouds, tB becomes much smaller and the drift of grains is much slower than ions and electrons at nH ≳ 106 cm−3.3.Thus magnetic flux leakage occurs mainly in the condensations described in 2, and the abundance of heavy elements in stars deviates little from that of the parent clouds because of small grain drift.

On the formation of heavy elements in stars

On the formation of heavy elements in stars