Speaker
Description
The astrophysical origin of 35 neutron-deficient, or proton-rich, nuclei--known as p-nuclei--remains an open question. While p-process nucleosynthesis (or $\gamma$-process) in the O/Ne layers of core-collapse supernovae is considered the dominant production site, it fails to account for the solar abundances of all p-nuclei. Alternative astrophysical sites, including Type Ia supernovae and additional nucleosynthesis processes such as the $\nu p$-process, have been proposed. However, large uncertainties in nuclear physics inputs—especially nuclear reaction rates in the proton-rich region—pose a major challenge to accurate astrophysical predictions.
In this study, we investigate the impact of nuclear reaction rate uncertainties on p-nuclei production using detailed post-processing nucleosynthesis calculations combined with Monte Carlo (MC) analyses. By statistically evaluating the effects of these uncertainties, we identify key nuclear reactions that strongly affect p-nuclei abundances in explosive nucleosynthesis environments. Our MC-based approach yields a new set of key reactions for the p-process, which differ significantly from those identified through the traditional one-by-one rate variation method. We also present results for the $\nu p$-process, a promising candidate for the origin of the lighter p-nuclei. In particular, we highlight several key reactions essential for reproducing the solar abundances of problematic isotopes such as $^{92}$Mo and $^{94}$Mo. Based on our findings, we suggest new experimental efforts to better constrain these critical reaction rates.
| Presentation mode | Onsite |
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