End point of the rp process on accreting neutron stars

H. Schatz, A. Aprahamian, L. Bildsten, A. Cumming, M. Ouellette, T. Rauscher, Friedrich-Karl Thielemann, M. Wiescher

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterpeer-review

443 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We calculate the rapid proton (rp) capture process of hydrogen burning on the surface of an accreting neutron star with an updated reaction network that extends up to Xe, far beyond previous work. In both steady-state nuclear burning appropriate for rapidly accreting neutron stars (such as the magnetic polar caps of accreting x-ray pulsars) and unstable burning of type I x-ray bursts, we find that the rp process ends in a closed SnSbTe cycle. This prevents the synthesis of elements heavier than Te and has important consequences for x-ray burst profiles, the composition of accreting neutron stars, and potentially galactic nucleosynthesis of light p nuclei.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3471-3474
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume86
Issue number16
Publication statusPublished - 16 Apr 2001

Keywords

  • ENVELOPE
  • THERMONUCLEAR FLASHES
  • X-RAY-BURSTS
  • NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
  • REACTION-RATES
  • DECAY
  • EMISSION
  • EVOLUTION
  • MAGNETIC-FIELD

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