2004/02/09 by N. Prantzos · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Nuclear physics research studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20035766
published as Astron.Astrophys. 420 (2004) 1033-1037 · 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted in AA
arxiv created 2004/02/09 · openalex publication_date 2004/06/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
The recent detection of gamma-ray lines from radioactive 26Al and 60Fe in the Milky Way by the RHESSI satellite calls for a reassessment of the production sites of those nuclides. The observed gamma-ray line flux ratio is in agreement with calculations of nucleosynthesis in massive stars, exploding as SNII (Woosley & Weaver [CITE]); in the light of those results, this observation would suggest then that SNII are the major sources of 26Al in the Milky Way, since no other conceivable source produces substantial amounts of 60Fe. However, more recent theoretical studies find that SNII produce much higher 60Fe/26Al ratios than previously thought and, therefore, they cannot be the major 26Al sources in the Galaxy (otherwise 60Fe would be detected long ago, with a line flux similar to the one of 26Al). Wolf-Rayet stars, ejecting 26Al (but not 60Fe) in their stellar winds, appear then as a most natural candidate. We point out, however, that this scenario faces also an important difficulty. Forthcoming results of ESA's INTEGRAL satellite, as well as consistent calculations of nucleosynthesis in massive stars (including stars of initial masses as high as 100 and metallicities up to 3 ), are required to settle the issue.