The Sensitivity of Nucleosynthesis in Type I X-ray Bursts to Thermonuclear Reaction-Rate Variations

Abstract

We examine the sensitivity of nucleosynthesis in Type I X-ray bursts to variations in nuclear rates. As a large number of nuclear processes are involved in these phenomena -with the vast majority of reaction rates only determined theoretically due to the lack of any experimental information- our results can provide a means for determining which rates play significant roles in the thermonuclear runaway. These results may then motivate new experiments. For our studies, we have performed a comprehensive series of one-zone post-processing calculations in conjunction with various representative X-ray burst thermodynamic histories. We present those reactions whose rate variations have the largest effects on yields in our studies.

8 pages, accepted for publication in New Astronomy Reviews, Special Issue on "Astronomy with Radioactivities VI" workshop, Ringberg Castle, Germany, Jan. 2008