The Impact of Nuclear Physics Uncertainties on Galactic Chemical Evolution Predictions

TL;DR

This paper examines how uncertainties in nuclear physics influence the predictions of galactic chemical evolution, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for accurate modeling of element origins.

Contribution

It highlights the significant impact of nuclear physics uncertainties on chemical evolution models and advocates for stronger collaboration between nuclear astrophysics and galaxy evolution research.

Findings

Nuclear physics uncertainties significantly affect element abundance predictions.

Both nuclear physics and galactic evolution uncertainties influence neutron-capture element origins.

Collaborative efforts are essential for improving chemical evolution models.

Abstract

Modeling the evolution of the elements in the Milky Way is a multidisciplinary and challenging task. In addition to simulating the 13 billion years evolution of our Galaxy, chemical evolution simulations must keep track of the elements synthesized and ejected from every astrophysical site of interest (e.g., supernova, compact binary merger). The elemental abundances of such ejecta, which are a fundamental input for chemical evolution codes, are usually taken from theoretical nucleosynthesis calculations performed by the nuclear astrophysics community. Therefore, almost all chemical evolution predictions rely on the nuclear physics behind those calculations. In this proceedings, we highlight the impact of nuclear physics uncertainties on galactic chemical evolution predictions. We demonstrate that nuclear physics and galactic evolution uncertainties both have a significant impact on interpreting the origin of neutron-capture elements in our Solar System. Those results serve as a motivation to create and maintain collaborations between the fields of nuclear astrophysics and galaxy evolution.