Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Aug 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993mnras.263..817c&link_type=abstract
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 263, NO.4/AUG15, P. 817, 1993
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
56
Convection - Nuclear Reactions, Nucleosynthesis, Abundances - Methods: Numerical - Stars: Giant - Stars: Neutron
Scientific paper
The structure of stars with massive envelopes (Menv ≥ 14 Msun) and degenerate neutron cores is discussed. In such stars, most of the luminosity arises from thermonuclear reactions taking place at the base of the convective envelope. The proton-rich material in this region, continuously linked to the outer regions by convection, provides an ideal site for the rp-process. In addition, material may repeatedly pass through the burning zone, with large intervals between each passage, allowing the formation of heavy nuclei up to A ˜ 150. Evolutionary calculations are presented of the structure of such stars and of the nucleosynthesis in their envelopes. A lower mass limit of 14 Msun is found for stars of this type. Assuming a lifetime of ≥ 105 yr, a significant fraction, ˜5 per cent, of the envelope mass is converted to metals beyond iron, and, for a restricted range of masses (depending on the somewhat uncertain details of envelope convection), some of the p-nuclei are produced in relative abundances reminiscent of those found for the Solar system. The abundance peak at molybdenum is, however, not reproduced. If Thorne-Żytkow objects are a later stage in the evolution of massive X-ray binaries then, even if only a small fraction of Thorne-Żytkow objects produce the more massive p-nuclei, the progenitor population is sufficiently large to account for the observed abundances of some of these nuclei.
No associations
LandOfFree
Massive Thorne-Żytkow Objects - Structure and Nucleosynthesis does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Massive Thorne-Żytkow Objects - Structure and Nucleosynthesis, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Massive Thorne-Żytkow Objects - Structure and Nucleosynthesis will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1494036