Uncertainties in the production of iron-group nuclides in core-collapse supernovae from Monte Carlo variations of reaction rates

Abstract

Core-collapse supernovae, occurring at the end of massive star evolution, produce heavy elements, including those in the iron peak. Although the explosion mechanism is not yet fully understood, theoretical models can reproduce optical observations and observed elemental abundances. However, many nuclear reaction rates involved in explosive nucleosynthesis have large uncertainties, impacting the reliability of abundance predictions. To address this, we have previously developed a Monte Carlo-based nucleosynthesis code that accounts for reaction rate uncertainties and has been applied to nucleosynthesis processes beyond iron. Our framework is also well suited for studying explosive nucleosynthesis in supernovae. In this paper, we investigate 1D explosion models using the "PUSH method", focusing on progenitors with varying metallicities and initial masses around $M_{\mathrm{ZAMS}}=16M_{\odot }$. Detailed post-process nucleosynthesis calculations and Monte Carlo analyses are used to explore the effects of reaction rate uncertainties and to identify key reaction rates in explosive nucleosynthesis. We find that many reactions have little impact on the production of iron-group nuclei, as these elements are primarily synthesized in the nuclear statistical equilibrium. However, we identify a few "key reactions" that significantly influence the production of radioactive nuclei, which may affect astrophysical observables. In particular, for the production of ${}^{44}$Ti, we confirm that several traditionally studied nuclear reactions have a strong impact. However, determining a single reaction rate is insufficient to draw a definitive conclusion.

11 pages, 7 figures, and 7 tables. Minor revisions in response to the referee's comments; accepted by MNRAS

References in corpus (13)

• Galactic chemical evolution: Carbon through Zinc
• Asymmetries in core-collapse supernovae from maps of radioactive ${}^{44}$Ti in CassiopeiaA
• The rp-Process in Neutrino-driven Winds
• On the Sensitivity of Massive Star Nucleosynthesis and Evolution to Solar Abundances and to Uncertainties in Helium Burning Reaction Rates
• PUSHing core-collapse supernovae to explosions in spherical symmetry IV: Explodability, remnant properties and nucleosynthesis yields of low metallicity stars
• Uncertainties in the production of p nuclides in thermonuclear supernovae determined by Monte Carlo variations
• The Nucleosynthetic Yields of Core-Collapse Supernovae, prospects for the Next Generation of Gamma-Ray Astronomy
• Reaction Rate Sensitivity of the Production of $\gamma$-ray Emitting Isotopes in Core-Collapse Supernova
• Sensitivity of ${}^{44}$Ti and ${}^{56}$Ni production in CCSN shock-driven nucleosynthesis to reaction rates
• Parameterisations of thermal bomb explosions for core-collapse supernovae and 56Ni production
• The fate of rotating massive stars across cosmic times
• Updating the ${}^{56}$Ni Problem in Core-collapse Supernova Explosion
• Comparison of Three Methods for Triggering Core-collapse Supernova Explosions in Spherical Symmetry