arXiv subjects

G. Martinez-Pinedo

Publications and source records attributed to G. Martinez-Pinedo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

Nuclear weak-interaction processes in stars

Recent experimental data and progress in nuclear structure modeling have lead to improved descriptions of astrophysically important weak-interaction processes. The review discusses these advances and their applications to hydrostatic solar and stellar burning, to the slow and rapid neutron-capture processes, to neutrino nucleosynthesis, and to explosive hydrogen burning. Special emphasis is given to the weak-interaction processes associated with core-collapse supernovae. Despite some significant progress, important improvements are still warranted. Such improvements are expected to come from future radioactive ion-beam facilities.

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arXiv2002

Isobaric multiplet yrast energies and isospin non-conserving forces

The isovector and isotensor energy differences between yrast states of isobaric multiplets in the lower half of the $pf$ region are quantitatively reproduced in a shell model context. The isospin non-conserving nuclear interactions are found to be at least as important as the Coulomb potential. Their isovector and isotensor channels are dominated by J=2 and J=0 pairing terms, respectively. The results are sensitive to the radii of the states, whose evolution along the yrast band can be accurately followed.

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arXiv2002

Stellar Sources of the Interstellar Medium

With the exception of the Big Bang, responsible for 1,2H, 3,4He, and 7Li, stars act as sources for the composition of the interstellar medium. Cosmic rays are related to the latter and very probably due to acceleration of the mixed interstellar medium by shock waves from supernova remnants. Thus, the understanding of the abundance evolution in the interstellar medium and especially the enrichment of heavy elements, as a function of space and time, is essential. It reflects the history of star formation and the lifetimes of the diverse contributing stellar objects. Therefore, the understanding of the endpoints of stellar evolution is essential as well. These are mainly planetary nebulae and type II/Ib/Ic supernovae as evolutionary endpoints of single stars, but also events in binary systems can contribute, like e.g. supernovae of type Ia, novae and possibly X-ray bursts and neutron star or neutron star - black hole mergers. Despite many efforts, a full and self-consistent understanding of supernovae (the main contributors to nucleosynthesis in galaxies) is not existing, yet. Their fingerprints, however, seen either in spectra, lightcurves, radioactivities/decay gamma-rays or in galactic evolution, can help to constrain the composition of their ejecta and related model uncertainties.

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arXiv2002

Neutral-current neutrino reactions in the supernova environment

We study the neutral-current neutrino scattering for four nuclei in the iron region. We evaluate the cross sections for the relevant temperatures during the supernova core collapse and derive Gamow-Teller distributions from large-scale shell-model calculations. We show that the thermal population of the excited states significantly enhances the cross sections at low neutrino energies. Calculations of the outgoing neutrino spectra indicate the prospect of neutrino upscattering at finite temperatures. Both results are particularly notable in even-even nuclei.

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arXiv2001

Coulomb displacement energies, energy differenced and neutron skins

A Fock space representation of the monopole part of the Coulomb potential is presented. Quantum effects show through a small orbital term in $l(l+1)$. Once it is averaged out, the classical electrostatic energy emerges as an essentially exact expression, which makes it possible to eliminate the Nolen-Schiffer anomaly, and to estimate neutron skins and the evolution of radii along yrast states of mirror nuclei. The energy differences of the latter are quantitatively reproduced by the monopole term and a schematic multipole one.

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arXiv2001

Neutrino absortion cross sections in supernova environment

We study charged-current neutrino cross sections on neutronrich nuclei in the mass $A\sim60$ region. Special attention is paid to environmental effects, i.e. finite temperature and density, on the cross sections. As these effects are largest for small neutrino energies, it is sufficient to study only the Gamow-Teller (GT) contributions to the cross sections. The relevant GT strength distributions are derived from large-scale shell model calculations. We find that the low-energy cross sections are enhanced at finite temperatures. However, for $(ν_e,e^-)$ reactions Pauli blocking of the electrons in the final state makes the cross sections for low-energy neutrinos much smaller than for the competing inelastic scattering on electrons at moderate and large densities. Absorption cross sections for low-energy antineutrinos are strongly enhanced at finite temperatures.

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arXiv2001

Shell Model Description of Isotope Shifts in Calcium

Isotope shifts in the nuclear charge radius of even and odd calcium isotopes are calculated within the nuclear shell model. The model space includes all configurations of nucleons in the $2s, 1d_{3/2}, 1f_{7/2}, {\rm and} ~2p_{3/2}$ orbits. The shell model describes well the energies of the intruder states in Sc and Ca, as well as the energies of the low-lying $2^+$ and $3^-$ states in the even Ca isotopes. The characteristic features of the isotope shifts, the parabolic dependence on $A$ and the prominent odd-even staggering, are well reproduced by the model. These features are related to the partial breakdown of the $Z = 20$ shell closure caused by promotion, due to the neutron-proton interaction, of the $ds$ shell protons into the $fp$ shell.

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arXiv2001

Element Synthesis in Stars

Except for 1H, 2H, 3He, 4He, and 7Li, originating from the Big Bang, all heavier elements are made in stellar evolution and stellar explosions. Nuclear physics, and in many cases nuclear structure far from stability, enters in a crucial way. Therefore, we examine in this review the role of nuclear physics in astrophysics in general and in particular how it affects stellar events and the resulting nucleosynthesis. Stellar modeling addresses four major aspects: 1. energy generation and nucleosynthesis, 2. energy transport via conduction, radiation or possibly convection, 3. hydrodynamics/hydrostatics, and finally 4. thermodynamic properties of the matter involved. Nuclear Physics enters via nuclear reaction cross sections and nuclear structure (affecting the composition changes and nuclear energy generation), neutrino-nucleon and neutrino-nucleus cross sections (affecting neutrino opacities and transport), and e.g. the equation of state at and beyond nuclear densities which creates a relation between the nuclear many-body problem and the hydrodynamic response like pressure and entropy. In the following we review these four topics by highlighting the role and impact of nuclear physics in each of these aspects of stellar modeling. The main emphasis is put on the connection to element synthesis.

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arXiv2001

Neutrino spectra from stellar electron capture

Using the recent shell model evaluation of stellar weak interaction rates we have calculated the neutrino spectra arising from electron capture on pf-shell nuclei under presupernova conditions. We present a simple parametrization of the spectra which allows for an easy implementation into collapse simulations. We discuss that the explicit consideration of thermal ensembles in the parent nucleus broadens the neutrino spectra and results in larger average neutrino energies. The capture rates and neutrino spectra can be easily modified to account for phase space blocking by neutrinos which becomes increasingly important during the final stellar collapse.

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arXiv2000

Presupernova Evolution with Improved Rates for Weak Interactions

Recent shell-model calculations of weak-interaction rates for nuclei in the mass range A = 45 - 65 have resulted in substantial revisions to the hitherto standard set of Fuller, Fowler, & Newman (FFN). In particular, key electron-capture rates, such as that for Co60 are much smaller. We consider here the effects of these revised rates on the presupernova (post-oxygen burning) evolution of massive stars in the mass range 11 to 40 M_sun. Moreover, we include, for the first time in models by our group, the effects of modern rates for beta-decay in addition to electron capture and positron emission. Values for the central electron mole number at the time of iron core collapse in the new models are typically larger, by delta Y_e = 0.005 to 0.015, than those of Woosley & Weaver 1995, with a tendency for the more massive models to display larger differences. About half of this change is a consequence of including beta-decay; the other half, result of the smaller rates for electron capture. Unlike what might be expected solely on basis of the larger Y_e's, the new iron core masses are systematically smaller owing to a decrease in the entropy in the outer iron core. The changes in iron core mass range from zero to 0.1 M_sun. We also observe, as predicted by Aufderheide et al. (1994), a tendency towards beta-equilibrium just prior to the collapse of the core, and the subsequent loss of that equilibrium as core collapse proceeds. We discuss the key weak reaction rates, both beta-decay and electron-capture, responsible for the evolution of Y_e and make suggestions for future measurements.

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arXiv2000

Presupernova collapse models with improved weak-interaction rates

Improved values for stellar weak interaction rates have been recently calculated based upon a large shell model diagonalization. Using these new rates (for both beta decay and electron capture), we have examined the presupernova evolution of massive stars in the range 15-40 Msun. Comparing our new models with a standard set of presupernova models by Woosley and Weaver, we find significantly larger values for the electron-to-baryon ratio Ye at the onset of collapse and iron core masses reduced by approximately 0.1 Msun. The inclusion of beta-decay accounts for roughly half of the revisions, while the other half is a consequence of the improved nuclear physics. These changes will have important consequences for nucleosynthesis and the supernova explosion mechanism.

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arXiv2000

Shell-model calculations of stellar weak interaction rates: II. Weak rates for nuclei in the mass range A=45-65 in supernovae environment

Based on large-scale shell model calculations we have determined the electron capture, positron capture and beta-decay rates on more than 100 nuclei in the mass range A=45-65. The rates are given for densities ρY_e =10^7-10^{10} mol/cm^3 and temperatures T=10^9-10^{10} K and hence are relevant for both types of supernovae (Type Ia and Type II). The shell model electron capture rates are significantly smaller than currently assumed. For proton-to-baryon ratios Y_e=0.42-0.46 mol/g, the beta-decay rates are faster than the electron capture rates during the core collapse of a massive star.

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arXiv1999

The inclusive 56Fe(nu_e,e-)56Co cross section

We study the 56Fe(nu_e,e^-)56Co cross section for the KARMEN neutrino spectrum. The Gamow-Teller contribution to the cross section is calculated within the shell model, while the forbidden transitions are evaluated within the continuum random phase approximation. We find a total cross section of 2.73 x 10^-40 cm^2, in agreement with the data.

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arXiv1999

Shell-model half-lives for the N=82 nuclei and their implications for the r-process

We have performed large-scale shell-model calculations of the half-lives and neutron-branching probabilties of the r-process waiting point nuclei at the magic neutron number N=82. We find good agreement with the measured half-lives of 129Ag and 130Cd. Our shell-model half-lives are noticeably shorter than those currently adopted in r-process simulations. Our calculation suggests that 130Cd is not produced in beta-flow equilibrium with the other N=82 isotones on the r-process path.

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arXiv1999

Band termination in the N=Z Odd-Odd Nucleus 46V

High spin states in the odd-odd N=Z nucleus 46V have been identified. At low spin, the T=1 isobaric analogue states of 46Ti are established up to I = 6+. Other high spin states, including the band terminating state, are tentatively assigned to the same T=1 band. The T=0 band built on the low-lying 3+ isomer is observed up to the 1f7/2-shell termination at I=15. Both signatures of a negative parity T=0 band are observed up to the terminating states at I = 16- and I = 17-, respectively. The structure of this band is interpreted as a particle-hole excitation from the 1d3/2 shell. Spherical shell model calculations are found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental results.

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arXiv1999

Shell model calculations of stellar weak interaction rates: I. Gamow-Teller distributions and spectra of nuclei in the mass range A=45-65

Electron capture and beta-decay rates on nuclei in the mass range A=45-65 play an important role in many astrophysical environments. The determination of these rates by large-scale shell model calculations is desirable, but it requires to reproduce the Gamow-Teller strength distributions and spectra of the pf shell nuclei. We show in this paper that large-scale shell model calculations, employing a slightly monopole-corrected version of the wellknown KB3 interaction, fulfill these necessary requirements. In particular, our calculations reproduce the experimentally available GT+ and GT- strength distributions and the nuclear halflives, and describe the nuclear spectra appropriately.

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arXiv1999

Halflife of 56Ni in cosmic rays

A measurement of the 56Ni cosmic ray abundance has been discussed as a possible tool to determine the acceleration time scale of relativistic particles in cosmic rays. This conjecture will depend on the halflife of totally ionized 56Ni which can only decay by higher-order forbidden transitions. We have calculated this halflife within large-scale shell model calculations and find t_{1/2} \approx 4 \times 10^4 years, only slightly larger than the currently available experimental lower limit, but too short for 56Ni to serve as a cosmic ray chronometer.

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arXiv1998

Competition of electron capture and beta-decay rates in supernova collapse

We calculate supernova electron capture and beta decay rates for various pf-shell nuclei using large-scale shell model techniques. We show that the centroid of the Gamow-Teller strength distribution has been systematically misplaced in previous rate estimates. Our total electron capture rates are significantly smaller than currently adopted in core collapse calculations, while the total beta decay rates change less. Our calculation shows that for electron-to-baryon ratios Ye=0.42-0.46 beta decay rates are larger than the competing electron capture rates.

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