Speaker
Stylianos Nikas
(Techniche Universitat Darmstadt / GSI)
Description
The observation of the electromagnetic counterpart of GW170817 gravitational wave hinted the production of r-process elements in the aftermath of neutron star mergers. The color of the electromagnetic counterpart suggests there are at least two different contributions of electron fraction ($Y_e$) distributions, one moderately high, reproducing the light r-process elements, and one $<0.25$ reproducing heavier nuclei including the lanthanide elements. We present a study for the creation of the first r-process peak using astrophysical conditions matching the ones speculated for neutron star mergers. We identify the range of $Y_e$ that can reproduce the first r-process peak and the effect of specific nuclear masses and beta decay rates on it.
Primary author
Stylianos Nikas
(Techniche Universitat Darmstadt / GSI)
Co-authors
Prof.
Gabriel Martinez-Pinedo
(TU Darmstadt, GSI)
Dr
Moritz Pascal Reiter
(University of Giessen, TRIUMF)
Dr
Andre Sieverding
(University of Minnesota)
Dr
Meng-Ru Wu
(Academia Sinica)