Supernovae and Nucleosynthesis: An Investigation of the History of Matter, from the Big Bang to the Present

David Arnett

Published by Princeton University Press 1996

Supernovae and Nucleosynthesis

An Investigation of the History of Matter, from the Big Bang to the Present

David Arnett

Volume 7 in the series Princeton Series in Astrophysics

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691221663

Overview
Contents

About this book

This book investigates the question of how matter has evolved since its origin in the Big Bang, from the cosmological synthesis of hydrogen and helium to the generation of the complex set of nuclei that comprise our world and our selves. A central theme is the evolution of gravitationally contained thermonuclear reactors, otherwise known as stars. Our current understanding is presented systematically and quantitatively, by combining simple analytic models with new state-of-the-art computer simulations.

The narrative begins with the clues (primarily the solar system abundance pattern), the constraining physics (primarily nuclear and particle physics), and the thermonuclear burning in the Big Bang itself. It continues with a step-by-step description of how stars evolve by nuclear reactions, a critical investigation of supernova explosion mechanisms and the formation of neutron stars and of black holes, and an analysis of how such explosions appear to astronomers (illustrated by comparison with recent observations). It concludes with a synthesis of these ideas for galactic evolution, with implications for nucleosynthesis in the first generation of stars and for the solar system abundance pattern. Emphasis is given to questions that remain open, and to active research areas that bridge the disciplines of astronomy, cosmochemistry, physics, and planetary and space science. Extensive references are given.

Author / Editor information

David Arnett is a Regents Professor at the University of Arizona and an astrophysicist at the Steward Observatory. He has been an active contributor to the development of a quantitative understanding of the birth of the elements and the death of stars, with particular interests in the use of computers in science, and in the interface between physics and astronomy.

Reviews

"The book is delightful reading. . . the best available source of material on supernova physics for the graduate student."---A.G.W. Cameron, Nature

"This well-illustrated and well-referenced volume is an extremely valuable addition to the astronomical literature."

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
List of Figures Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
List of Tables Publicly Available Download PDF	xv
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	xvii
1 Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2 Abundances of Nuclei
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	4
2.1 What Are Abundances? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	7
2.2 Solar System Abundances Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	10
2.3 Stellar Atmospheres Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	17
2.4 Meteorites Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	31
2.5 Cosmic Rays Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	39
2.6 Other Aspects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	44
3 Some Aspects of Nuclear Physics
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	48
3.1 Nuclear Masses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
3.2 Nuclear Stability Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	57
3.3 Coulomb Barrier Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	62
3.4 Resonances Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
3.5 Reverse Rates Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	73
3.6 Heavy-Ion Reactions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	75
3.7 Weak Interactions in Nuclei Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	84
3.8 Sources of Rates Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	90
4 Nuclear Reaction Networks
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	92
4.1 Network Equations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
4.2 Solutions: Steady State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	96
4.3 Solutions: Equilibria Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	99
4.4 Solutions: General Method Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	102
4.5 Energy Generation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	108
4.6 Mixing and Hydrodynamics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	113
4.7 Freezeout Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	116
5 Cosmological Nucleosynthesis
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	118
5.1 Kinematics Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
5.2 Radiation and Particles Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	128
5.3 Weak Interaction Freezeout Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
5.4 Cosmological Nucleosynthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	138
5.5 Further Implications Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	143
6 Some Properties of Stars
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	146
6.1 Stellar Evolution Equations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	147
6.2 Standard Model Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
6.3 Nuclear Energy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	161
6.4 Neutrino Processes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
6.5 Stellar Energy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	169
6.6 Ignition Masses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	174
6.7 Final States Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	178
7 Hydrogen-Burning Stars
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	182
7.1 Birth of Stars Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
7.2 Burning Processes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	185
7.3 Main Sequence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	190
7.4 Convective Cores Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	196
7.5 Shell Burning Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	202
7.6 Nucleosynthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	211
8 Helium-Burning Stars
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	222
8.1 Thermonuclear Features Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	223
8.2 Ignition Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	229
8.3 Core Nucleosynthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	233
8.4 Shell Nucleosynthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	239
8.5 M-M_a Relation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	241
8.6 Implications Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	247
9 Explosive Nucleosynthesis
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	249
9.1 Parameters Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	250
9.2 Carbon and Neon Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	253
9.3 Oxygen Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	260
9.4 Silicon and e-Process Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	267
9.5 Neutron Excess and Galactic Evolution Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275
9.6 Yield Puzzle Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	277
10 Neutrino-Cooled Stars
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	284
10.1 Neutrinos and Convection Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	285
10.2 Core Evolution Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	292
10.3 Stellar Structure Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	298
10.4 Shell Nucleosynthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	311
11 Thermonuclear Explosions
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	324
11.1 Thermonuclear Flames Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	325
11.2 Degenerate Instability Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	333
11.3 Convection and Urea Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	342
11.4 Yields from Degenerate Instability Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	355
11.5 He Detonation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	364
11.6 Pair Instability Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	372
11.7 Oxygen Burning and Beyond Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	375
12 Gravitational Collapse
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	381
12.1 Historical Overview Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	382
12.2 Neutronization and Dissociation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	385
12.3 Neutrino Trapping Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	389
12.4 Collapse Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	392
12.5 Bounce Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	395
12.6 Ejection of Matter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	407
13 Supernovae
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	414
13.1 An Overview Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	415
13.2 Shock Emergence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	417
13.3 Expansion and Radiative Diffusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	421
13.4 Radioactive Heating Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	424
13.5 Recombination Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	429
13.6 SN1987A Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	436
13.7 Type II Supernovae and SN1993J Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	444
13.8 Type I Supernovae Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	451
14 Galactic Evolution
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	459
14.1 Galactic Evolution Equations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	460
14.2 Initial Mass Functions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	467
14.3 One-Zone Models Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	484
14.4 Absolute Yields Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	491
14.5 The Galactic Disk Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	497
14.6 Primordial Stellar Yields Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	501
14.7 Critical Uncertainties Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	512
Appendixes
A. Solar System Abundances Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	519
B. Equations of State Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	532
C. Stellar Structure Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	548
D. Supernova Light Curves Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	558
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	573
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	595
About the Author Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	599