Production Uncertainties of p-Nuclei in the $\gamma$-Process in Massive Stars Using a Monte Carlo Approach

TL;DR

This study quantifies nuclear reaction uncertainties in the production of p-nuclei during supernovae using a Monte Carlo approach, identifying key reactions and showing overall uncertainties are generally below a factor of two.

Contribution

It introduces a Monte Carlo method with temperature-dependent uncertainties to systematically evaluate p-nuclei production uncertainties in massive stars.

Findings

Total production uncertainties are mostly below a factor of two.

Key reactions influencing uncertainties have been identified.

Automated correlation analysis was used to determine dominant reactions.

Abstract

Proton-rich nuclei, the so-called p-nuclei, are made in photodisintegration processes in outer shells of massive stars in the course of the final supernova explosion. Nuclear uncertainties in the production of these nuclei have been quantified in a Monte Carlo procedure. Bespoke temperature-dependent uncertainties were assigned to different types of reactions involving nuclei from Fe to Bi and all rates were varied randomly within the uncertainties. The resulting total production uncertainties of the p-nuclei are below a factor of two, with few exceptions. Key reactions dominating the final uncertainties have been identified in an automated procedure using correlations between rate and abundance uncertainties. Our results are compared to those of a previous study manually varying reaction rates.