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HINTS FOR NEUTRINO-PROCESS BORON IN PRESOLAR SILICON CARBIDE GRAINS FROM SUPERNOVAE

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)
  2. Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, J.-J.-Becher-Weg 27, 55128 Mainz (Germany)

We have studied more than 1000 presolar silicon carbide (SiC) grains from the Murchison CM2 chondrite for C- and Si-isotopic compositions. Twelve SiC X grains, characterized by strong enrichments in {sup 28}Si and believed to originate from Type II Supernovae (SNeII), were also measured for Li- and B-isotopic compositions. None of these grains show resolvable isotope anomalies in Li or B. For the seven X grains without Li and B contributions from nearby or attached SiC grains of distinct origins we find on average {sup 7}Li/{sup 6}Li = 11.83 {+-} 0.29 (solar system: 12.06) and {sup 11}B/{sup 10}B = 4.68 {+-} 0.31 (solar system: 4.03). The average {sup 7}Li/{sup 6}Li is compatible with the solar system ratio and the lithium in the X grains is likely largely dominated by contaminating Li of laboratory or meteoritic origin. Also, most of the boron in X grains appears to be contamination but the small {sup 11}B excess of {approx}16%, significant at the 2{sigma} level, can be considered a hint for the presence of boron produced by the neutrino process in the parent SNeII. Despite this finding, a quantitative comparison of the B isotope and abundance data of X grains with model predictions reveals deficiencies in our current understanding of the details of B production in SNeII as well as on B chemistry and condensation in SNII ejecta.

OSTI ID:
21560435
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 730; ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English