Neutron Capture Nucleosynthesis

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simplified unified model for neutron capture nucleosynthesis, highlighting the importance of medium neutron densities in forming heavy elements, with implications for stellar environments and educational use.

Contribution

A novel simplified model for neutron capture nucleosynthesis that assesses the role of neutron density in element formation and can be used for educational purposes.

Findings

Medium neutron density is crucial for forming most nuclei.

The model can reproduce observed nuclear abundances.

Applicable to stellar environments like AGB stars.

Abstract

Heavy elements (beyond iron) are formed in neutron capture nucleosynthesis processes. We have proposed a simple unified model to investigate the neutron capture nucleosynthesis in arbitrary neutron density environment. We have also investigated what neutron density is required to reproduce the measured abundance of nuclei assuming equilibrium processes. We found both of these that the medium neutron density has a particularly important role at neutron capture nucleosynthesis. About these results most of the nuclei can formed at medium neutron capture density environment e.g. in some kind of AGB stars. Besides these observations our model is capable to use educational purpose.