Beta decay and electron capture rates on manganese isotopes in astrophysical environments

TL;DR

This paper calculates decay and electron capture rates for manganese isotopes in stellar environments using the pn QRPA model, providing data crucial for supernova simulations and improving upon previous estimates.

Contribution

It introduces detailed weak decay rate calculations for manganese isotopes in astrophysical conditions using the pn QRPA model, enhancing supernova modeling accuracy.

Findings

pn QRPA decay half lives agree well with experimental data.

Calculated EC and decay rates cover wide temperature and density ranges.

Provides essential input data for core collapse supernova simulations.

Abstract

The isotopes of manganese in the mass range A equal to 53 to 63 are abundant in the core material of high mass stars and are believed to be of prime importance in the progression of the pre collapse phases. During these late evolutionary phases, nuclear processes associated with weak interactions, including decay and electron capture (EC) on these isotopes, significantly alter the Ye (lepton to baryon ratio) of the cores composition. The temporal change of this parameter is one of the basic elements to simulate a successful explosion. Hence, the decay and EC rates of manganese (Mn) nuclides may serve as an important input in the simulation codes of core collapse supernova. In this paper, we focus on the study of the weak decay characteristics of 55 63Mn nuclides. The strength distributions of Gamow Teller transitions in the directions of decay and EC for these isotopes were calculated employing the proton neutron quasi particle random phase approximation (pn QRPA) model. The decay half life values of Mn isotopes under terrestrial conditions were computed and compared with measured data and previous calculations. The pn QRPA estimated half lives are in good agreement with the experimental values. The and EC rates were later calculated covering a large range of stellar temperatures (001 30) 109 K and densities (10 1011) g/cm3.