Supernova Neutrino-Nucleus Physics and the r-process

Abstract

This talk reviews three inputs important to neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis in a supernova: 1) "standard" properties of the supernova neutrino flux, 2) effects of phenomena like neutrino oscillations on that flux, and 3) nuclear structure issues in estimating cross sections for neutrino-nucleus interactions. The resulting possibilities for neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis -- the neutrino-process -- in massive stars are discussed. This includes two relatively recent extensions of neutrino-process calculations to heavier nuclei, one focused on understanding the origin of 138La and 180Ta and the second on the effects following r-process freezeout. From calculations of the neutrino post-processing of the r-process distribution, limits can be placed on the neutrino fluence after freezeout and thus on the dynamic timescale for the expansion of the "hot bubble."

17 pages, 5 figures, talked presented at "The r-process: The Astrophysical Origin of the Heavy Elements..."