The Origin of r-Process Elements in the Milky Way

TL;DR

This study combines gravitational wave data, nuclear physics, and galactic chemical evolution models to evaluate whether neutron star mergers are the primary source of r-process elements like europium in the Milky Way.

Contribution

It provides the first direct analysis integrating nuclear physics uncertainties with GCE models to assess the role of NS-NS mergers in r-process element production.

Findings

NS-NS merger rate densities align with GCE requirements for Eu production.

GW170817 likely produced 1-5 Earth masses of Eu, supporting NS-NS mergers as main r-process sites.

Nuclear physics uncertainties complicate Eu yield constraints from theoretical models.

Abstract

Some of the heavy elements, such as gold and europium (Eu), are almost exclusively formed by the rapid neutron capture process (r-process). However, it is still unclear which astrophysical site between core-collapse supernovae and neutron star - neutron star (NS-NS) mergers produced most of the r-process elements in the universe. Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) models can test these scenarios by quantifying the frequency and yields required to reproduce the amount of europium (Eu) observed in galaxies. Although NS-NS mergers have become popular candidates, their required frequency (or rate) needs to be consistent with that obtained from gravitational wave measurements. Here we address the first NS-NS merger detected by LIGO/Virgo (GW170817) and its associated Gamma-ray burst and analyze their implication on the origin of r-process elements. The range of NS-NS merger rate densities of 320-4740 Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$ provided by LIGO/Virgo is remarkably consistent with the range required by GCE to explain the Eu abundances in the Milky Way with NS-NS mergers, assuming the solar r-process abundance pattern for the ejecta. Under the same assumption, this event has produced about 1-5 Earth masses of Eu, and 3-13 Earth masses of gold. When using theoretical calculations to derive Eu yields, constraining the role of NS-NS mergers becomes more challenging because of nuclear astrophysics uncertainties. This is the first study that directly combines nuclear physics uncertainties with GCE calculations. If GW170817 is a representative event, NS-NS mergers can produce Eu in sufficient amounts and are likely to be the main r-process site.