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Title: ELECTRON-CAPTURE SUPERNOVAE AS SOURCES OF {sup 60}Fe

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)
  2. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

We investigate the nucleosynthesis of the radionuclide {sup 60}Fe in electron-capture supernovae (ECSNe). The nucleosynthetic results are based on a self-consistent, two-dimensional simulation of an ECSN as well as models in which the densities are systematically increased by some factors (low-entropy models). {sup 60}Fe is found to be appreciably made in neutron-rich ejecta during the nuclear quasi-equilibrium phase with greater amounts being produced in the lower-entropy models. Our results, combining them with the yields of core-collapse supernovae in the literature, suggest that ECSNe account for at least 4%-30% of live {sup 60}Fe in the Milky Way. ECSNe co-produce neutron-rich isotopes, {sup 48}Ca, {sup 50}Ti, {sup 54}Cr, some light trans-iron elements, and possibly weak r-process elements including some radionuclides such as {sup 93}Zr, {sup 99}Tc, and {sup 107}Pd, whose association with {sup 60}Fe might have been imprinted in primitive meteorites or in the deep ocean crust on the Earth.

OSTI ID:
22136551
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 774, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English