Nucleosynthesis in Type Ia Supernovae, Classical Novae, and Type I X-Ray Bursts. A Primer on Stellar Explosions

TL;DR

This paper reviews the multidisciplinary field of nuclear astrophysics, focusing on nucleosynthesis during stellar explosions such as Type Ia supernovae, classical novae, and Type I X-ray bursts, integrating observational, theoretical, and experimental insights.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive overview of the current understanding and recent advances in nucleosynthesis processes in various stellar explosions, highlighting multidisciplinary approaches.

Findings

High-energy astrophysics provides detailed observations of stellar explosions.

Supercomputers enable complex modeling of stellar evolution and explosions.

Laboratory nuclear physics measurements inform reaction rates relevant to nucleosynthesis.

Abstract

Nuclear astrophysics aims at unraveling the cosmic origins of chemical elements and the physical processes powering stars. It constitutes a truly multidisciplinary field, that integrates tools, advancements, and accomplishments from theoretical astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry, and theoretical and experimental atomic and nuclear physics. For instance, the advent of high-energy astrophysics, facilitated by space-borne observatories, has ushered in a new era, offering a unique, panchromatic view of the universe (i.e., allowing multifrequency observations of stellar events); supercomputers are also playing a pivotal role, furnishing astrophysicists with computational capabilities essential for studying the intricate evolution of stars within a multidimensional framework; cosmochemists, through examination of primitive meteorites, are uncovering tiny fragments of stardust, shedding light on the physical processes operating in stars and on the mechanisms that govern condensation of stellar ejecta into solids; simultaneously, nuclear physicists managed to measure nuclear reactions at (or close to) stellar energies, using both stable and radioactive ion beam facilities. This paper provides a multidisciplinary view on nucleosynthesis accompanying stellar explosions, with a specific focus on thermonuclear supernovae, classical novae, and type I X-ray bursts.