arXiv subjects

A. Ray

Publications and source records attributed to A. Ray.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv1999

Nuclear properties in early stages of stellar collapse

The spectroscopy of electron capture neutrinos emitted from nearby pre-supernova collapsing stars before the neutrino trapping sets in, can yield useful information on the physical conditions and on the nuclear composition of the core. The neutrino spectrum depends on the thermodynamic conditions of the core, the nuclear abundances, the lepton fractions and relevant nuclear properties. In the pre-trapping core of a core-collapse supernova, the density ranges from $0.1 - 100~10^{10}$ g/cm$^3$ and the temperature from $0.2 - 1.5$ MeV. The nuclear abundances as well as the electron capture rates are thus determined, among other things, by the nuclear binding energies and the free nucleon chemical potentials. Because shell and pairing effects persist strongly up to temperatures of $\simeq 0.5$ MeV, any equation of state (EOS) relevant to this phase of the collapse must reproduce well the zero temperature nuclear properties and it must show a smooth transition to the known high temperature and high density limits. In this work we use the microscopic Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) theory based on a Lagrangian with non-linear self-interactions of the $σ$-field for the neutron-rich nuclei of interest in the $f-p$ shell to determine nuclear chemical potentials. We compare these results with those computed from an EOS calculated with the macroscopic liquid drop model. We also discuss extensions to finite temperature and we incorporate nuclear lattice effects into the microscopic calculations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1998

Half-lives and pre-supernova weak interaction rates for nuclei away from the stability line

A detailed model for the calculation of beta decay rates of the $fp$ shell nuclei for situations prevailing in pre-supernova and collapse phases of evolution of the core of massive stars leading to supernova explosion has been extended for electron-capture rates. It can also be used to determine the half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei in the $fp/fpg$ shell. The model uses an averaged Gamow-Teller (GT) strength function. But it can also use the experimental log ft values and GT strength function from $(n,p)$ reaction studies wherever available. The calculated rate includes contributions from each of the low-lying excited states of the mother including some specific resonant states ("back resonance") having large GT matrix elements.

nucl-th↗

arXiv1998

RXTE Observation of PSR B1706-44 and Implications for Theoretical Models of Pulsar Emission

We report on results of an observation with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) of PSR B1706-44 with a live time of 132 ks, to search for pulsed X-ray emission. PSR B1706-44 is a radio and high-energy gamma-ray pulsar (detected by EGRET), but no pulsed emission has been detected in the X-ray band. Since most of the other known gamma-ray pulsars emit pulsed X-rays, it is expected that PSR B1706-44 would also be an X-ray pulsar. However, while the ROSAT PSPC detected a source at the pulsar position, it did not detect pulsations, giving a pulsed fraction upper limit of 18%. The RXTE observations to search for modulation at the pulsar period were carried out in November 1996 and May 1997, during the low states of the nearby X-ray binary 4U1705-44. No significant modulation was detected at the pulsar period, giving an upper limit of 10^{-6} photons cm^{-2} s^{-1} keV^{-1} in the interval 9 keV < E < 18.5keV. The implications of this upper limit of the pulsed flux from the RXTE observation, taken together with multiband observations of this pulsar are examined in the context of theoretical models of pulsar particle acceleration zones.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Neutrino Spectroscopy of the Early Phase of Nearby Supernovae

Neutrinos emitted during stellar core collapse up to their trapping phase carry information about the stage from which the Supernova explosion process initiates. The dominant $ν_e$ emission mechanism is by electron capture on free protons and f-p shell nuclei and the spectrum of these neutrinos is a function of the ambient physical conditions within the core as well as the nuclear equation of state. The number of collapse phase $ν_e$ which can be detected by Super-Kamioka and Sudbury Neutrino Observatory from a Supernova within 1 kpc, and their generic energy spectra are given.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Electron Capture in Early Gravitational Collapse -- Nuclear Equation of State

We present the spectra of pre trapping neutrinos emitted from a core collapse supernova (having main sequence masses 15 and 25 $M_{\sun}$) within 1 kpc which can be detected by terrestrial detectors. The neutrino spectrum depends on the abundance of nuclei and free protons which undergo electron capture which in turn is determined by nuclear properties of the stellar core. The ambient temperature in the early pre-trapping phase is not so high as to wipe out shell and pairing effects. We present results from Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) calculations, which we use to predict properties of the neutron rich nuclei which dominate the stellar composition at this stage of stellar collapse and compare the RMF results with the Baron et al (BCK) equation of state.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Relativistic Mean Field calculations of nuclear properties in early stages of stellar collapse

We use the Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) method to calculate properties of neutron rich, usually deformed nuclei, important for equation of state calculations and which have significant abundance in the early stages of stellar collapse. We compare the results of our microscopic calculations with existing cold nuclear equations of state based on macroscopic liquid drop model and the FRLDM model.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Gamow-Teller strength distributions for nuclei in pre-supernova stellar cores

Electron-capture and $β$-decay of nuclei in the core of massive stars play an important role in the stages leading to a type II supernova explosion. Nuclei in the f-p shell are particularly important for these reactions in the post Silicon-burning stage of a presupernova star. In this paper, we characterise the energy distribution of the Gamow-Teller Giant Resonance (GTGR) for mid-fp-shell nuclei in terms of a few shape parameters, using data obtained from high energy, forward scattering (p,n) and (n,p) reactions. The energy of the GTGR centroid $E_{GT}$ is further generalised as function of nuclear properties like mass number, isospin and other shell model properties of the nucleus. Since a large fraction of the GT strength lies in the GTGR region, and the GTGR is accessible for weak transitions taking place at energies relevant to the cores of presupernova and collapsing stars, our results are relevant to the study of important $e^-$-capture and $β$-decay rates of arbitrary, neutron-rich, f-p shell nuclei in stellar cores. Using the observed GTGR and Isobaric Analog States (IAS) energy systematics we compare the coupling coefficients in the Bohr-Mottelson two particle interaction Hamiltonian for different regions of the Isotope Table.

astro-ph↗