Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

R-Process Nucleosynthesis In Supernova Simulation, Lyda P. Urresta

Honors Theses

We examined a potential r-process site by modeling nucleosynthesis in a late-stage supernova explosion, considering different hydrodynamic conditions. After collecting the resultant abundances with respect to atomic and mass number, we decayed the isotopes in our data sample to stability. Then, we plotted the decayed and undecayed abundances with respect to their atomic number and mass number, and compared them to the abundances procured from solar and metal-poor halo star data. Both of these environments are known to house r-process elements, and an agreement between the observed abundance data and the abundance data from our simulation would support the theory …