Effects of Triple-$\alpha$ and $^{12}\rm C(\alpha,\gamma)^{16}O$ Reaction Rates on the Supernova Nucleosynthesis in a Massive Star of 25 $M_{\odot}$

TL;DR

This study examines how variations in key nuclear reaction rates affect the evolution and nucleosynthesis yields of a 25 solar mass star, providing constraints on these rates based on supernova modeling and solar abundance comparisons.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic analysis of reaction rate combinations and their impact on stellar evolution and supernova yields, offering new constraints on reaction rates from astrophysical data.

Findings

A conventional triple-$\alpha$ rate is sufficient for stellar evolution.

Higher $^{12}\rm C(\alpha,\gamma)^{16}O$ rates within experimental limits are preferred.

Reaction rate variations significantly influence supernova progenitor evolution.

Abstract

We investigate effects of triple-$\alpha$ and $^{12}\rm C(\alpha,\gamma) ^{16}O$ reaction rates on the production of supernova yields for a massive star of 25 $M_{\odot}$. We combine the reaction rates to examine the rate dependence, where the rates are considered to cover the possible variation of the rates based on experiments on the earth and theories. We adopt four combinations of the reaction rates from two triple-$\alpha$ reaction rates and two $^{12}\rm C(\alpha,\gamma)^{16}O$ ones. First, we examine the evolution of massive stars of 20 and 25 $M_{\odot}$ whose helium cores correspond to helium stars of 6 and 8 $M_{\odot}$, respectively. While the 25 $M_{\odot}$ stars evolve to the presupernova stages for all combinations of the reaction rates, evolutionary paths of the 20 $M_{\odot}$ stars proceed significantly different way for some combinations, which are unacceptable for progenitors of supernovae. Second, we perform calculations of supernova explosions within the limitation of spherical symmetry and compare the calculated abundance ratios with the solar system abundances. We can deduce some constraints to the reaction rates. As the results, a conventional rate is adequate for a triple-$\alpha$ reaction rate and a rather higher value of the reaction rate within the upper limit for the experimental uncertainties is favorable for a $^{12}\rm C(\alpha,\gamma)^{16}O$ rate.