1999/05/28 by Y. -Z. Qian, Y.‐Z. Qian, P. Vogel +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Gamma ray #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Near-Earth supernova #Neutrino Physics Research #Nuclear physics #Nuclear physics research studies #Nucleosynthesis #Physics #Pulsar #Radioactive decay #Supernova #Supernova remnant #Vela #astro-ph #nucl-th #r-process
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/307805
published as Astrophys.J. 524 (1999) 213-219 · 24 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the October 10, 1999 issue of ApJ
arxiv created 1999/05/28 · openalex publication_date 1999/10/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We estimate gamma-ray fluxes due to the decay of nuclei beyond 209 Bi from a supernova or a supernova remnant assuming that the r -process occurs in supernovae. We find that a detector with a sensitivity of ~10 -7 γ cm -2 s -1 at energies from ~40 keV to ~3 MeV may detect fluxes due to the decay of 226 Ra, 229 Th, 241 Am, 243 Am, 249 Cf, and 251 Cf in the newly discovered supernova remnant near Vela. In addition, such a detector may detect fluxes due to the decay of 227 Ac and 228 Ra produced in a future supernova at a distance of ~1 kpc. Because nuclei with mass numbers A > 209 are produced solely by the r -process, such detections are the best proof for a supernova r -process site. Further, they provide the most direct information on yields of progenitor nuclei with A > 209 at r -process freeze-out. Finally, detection of fluxes due to the decay of r -process nuclei over a range of masses from a supernova or a supernova remnant provides the opportunity to compare yields in a single supernova event with the solar r -process abundance pattern.