The effect of 12C + 12C rate uncertainties on s-process yields

TL;DR

This study investigates how uncertainties in the 12C + 12C nuclear reaction rate influence the s-process nucleosynthesis yields in massive stars, revealing significant effects on stellar evolution and element production.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the impact of 12C + 12C rate variations on s-process yields using stellar models and post-processing nucleosynthesis calculations.

Findings

Rate variations alter convective history and nucleosynthesis

Final s-process yields are sensitive to reaction rate uncertainties

Implications for modeling stellar nucleosynthesis and element abundances

Abstract

The slow neutron capture process in massive stars (the weak s-process) produces most of the s-only isotopes in the mass region 60 < A < 90. The nuclear reaction rates used in simulations of this process have a profound effect on the final s-process yields. We generated 1D stellar models of a 25 solar mass star varying the 12C + 12C rate by a factor of 10 and calculated full nucleosynthesis using the post-processing code PPN. Increasing or decreasing the rate by a factor of 10 affects the convective history and nucleosynthesis, and consequently the final yields.