On the origin of the lightest Molybdenum isotopes

Abstract

We discuss implications of recent precision measurements for the Rh93 proton separation energy for the production of the lightest molybdenum isotopes in proton-rich type II supernova ejecta. It has recently been shown that a novel neutrino-induced process makes these ejecta a promising site for the production of the light molybdenum isotopes and other "p-nuclei" with atomic mass near 100. The origin of these isotopes has long been uncertain. A distinguishing feature of nucleosynthesis in neutrino-irradiated outflows is that the relative production of Mo92 and Mo94 is set by a competition governed by the proton separation energy of Rh93. We use detailed nuclear network calculations and the recent experimental results for this proton separation energy to place constraints on the outflow characteristics that produce the lightest molybdenum isotopes in their solar proportions. It is found that for the conditions calculated in recent two-dimensional supernova simulations, and also for a large range of outflow characteristics around these conditions, the solar ratio of Mo92 to Mo94 cannot be achieved. This suggests that either proton-rich winds from type II supernova do not exclusively produce both isotopes, or that these winds are qualitatively different than calculated in today's supernova models.

arXiv comment12 pages, 7 figures (3 color)

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• Nucleosynthesis in 2D Core-Collapse Supernovae of 11.2 and 17.0 M${}_{\odot }$ Progenitors: Implications for Mo and Ru Production
• Origin of the p-process radionuclides 92Nb and 146Sm in the early Solar System and inferences on the birth of the Sun
• Production of Mo and Ru isotopes in neutrino-driven winds: implications for solar abundances and presolar grains
• Mass Measurements of Neutron-Deficient Y, Zr, and Nb Isotopes and Their Impact on $rp$ and $\nu p$ Nucleosynthesis Processes
• Co-production of light p-, s- and r-process isotopes in the high-entropy wind of type II supernovae
• Uncertainties in $\nu$p-process nucleosynthesis from Monte Carlo variation of reaction rates
• High-entropy ejections from magnetized proto-neutron star winds: implications for heavy element nucleosynthesis
• Penning trap mass measurements on (99-109)$Cd with ISOLTRAP and implications on the rp process
• Nuclear processes in Astrophysics: Recent progress
• Massive Stars and their Supernovae
• On the synthesis of heavy nuclei in protomagnetar outflows and implications for ultra-high energy cosmic rays
• Successful $\nu p$-process in neutrino-driven outflows in core-collapse supernovae