Penning trap mass measurements on (99-109)$Cd with ISOLTRAP and implications on the rp process

TL;DR

This study reports precise Penning trap mass measurements of neutron-deficient cadmium isotopes, including the first measurement of 99Cd, and discusses their implications for the rp process in stellar X-ray bursts.

Contribution

First measurement of 99Cd mass and updated mass evaluation, extending knowledge towards 100Sn and impacting rp process modeling.

Findings

Mass of 99Cd measured for the first time.

Reduced uncertainty in proton-separation energy of 100In.

Implications for rp process abundance predictions.

Abstract

Penning trap mass measurements on neutron-deficient Cd isotopes (99-109)Cd have been performed with the ISOLTRAP mass spectrometer at ISOLDE/CERN, all with relative mass uncertainties below 3*10^8. A new mass evaluation has been performed. The mass of 99Cd has been determined for the first time which extends the region of accurately known mass values towards the doubly magic nucleus 100Sn. The implication of the results on the reaction path of the rp process in stellar X-ray bursts is discussed. In particular, the uncertainty of the abundance and the overproduction created by the rp-process for the mass A = 99 is demonstrated by reducing the uncertainty of the proton-separation energy of 100In Sp(100In) by a factor of 2.5.