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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2010

Astrophysical Implications of Fusion Reactions at Extremely Low Energies involving {sup 12}C and {sup 16}O

The heavy-ion potential is calculated semi-microscopically within the double folding method with various effective n--n interactions (Gogny, M3Y) and applied to fusion reactions relevant for the carbon and oxygen burning cycles in highly evolved stars. Reaction rates at temperatures relevant for such stellar processes are estimated and upon comparison with traditional and modern extrapolation formulas conclusions are drawn regarding the importance of the employed n-n interactions on the corresponding burning cycle.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1978

Nuclear fusion and carbon flashes on neutron stars

This paper reports on detailed calculations of the thermal evolution of the carbon-burning shells in the envelopes of accreting neutron stars for mass-accretion rates of 1 hundred-billionth to 2 billionths of a solar mass per yr and neutron-star masses of 0.56 and 1.41 solar masses. The work of Hansen and Van Horn (1975) is extended to higher densities, and a more detailed treatment of nuclear processing in the hydrogen- and helium-burning regions is included. Results of steady-state calculations are presented, and results of time-dependent computations are examined for accretion rates of 3 ten-billionths and 1 billionth of solar mass per yr. It is found that two evolutionary sequences lead to carbon flashes and that the carbon abundance at the base of the helium shell is a strong function of accretion rate. Upper limits are placed on the accretion rates at which carbon flashes will be important.

Taam, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

X-ray emission from cataclysmic variables

X-ray observations of cataclysmic variables and theoretical work on X-ray emission from them are reviewed, emphasizing recent developments. Observations of luminosities and space densities, X-ray spectra and temporal behavior, and X-ray emitting cataclysmic variables in globular clusters are addressed. The relationship of disk and radial accretion to X-ray emission is qualitatively considered, and the spectra and correlation between spectral temperature and luminosity are examined for magnetic and nonmagnetic stars. The relationship between ionization structure and line features is summarized, and nuclear burning and electron conduction are briefly addressed. Important issues concerning X-ray emission from cataclysmic variables are discussed, including magnetic fields, the origin of hard and soft X-rays, the soft X-ray puzzle in AM Her stars, nuclear burning, long-period pulsing sources, cyclotron-dominated sources, high-luminosity sources, and the stability of accretion flow.

Lamb, D. Q.↗
DOE OSTI2013

CARBON DEFLAGRATION IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA. I. CENTRALLY IGNITED MODELS

A leading model for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) begins with a white dwarf near the Chandrasekhar mass that ignites a degenerate thermonuclear runaway close to its center and explodes. In a series of papers, we shall explore the consequences of ignition at several locations within such dwarfs. Here we assume central ignition, which has been explored before, but is worth revisiting, if only to validate those previous studies and to further elucidate the relevant physics for future work. A perturbed sphere of hot iron ash with a radius of {approx}100 km is initialized at the middle of the star. The subsequent explosion is followed in several simulations using a thickened flame model in which the flame speed is either fixed-within the range expected from turbulent combustion-or based on the local turbulent intensity. Global results, including the explosion energy and bulk nucleosynthesis (e.g., {sup 56}Ni of 0.48-0.56 M{sub Sun }) turn out to be insensitive to this speed. In all completed runs, the energy released by the nuclear burning is adequate to unbind the star, but not enough to give the energy and brightness of typical SNe Ia. As found previously, the chemical stratification observed in typical events is not reproduced. These models produce a large amount of unburned carbon and oxygen in central low velocity regions, which is inconsistent with spectroscopic observations, and the intermediate mass elements and iron group elements are strongly mixed during the explosion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

{sup 11}B and Constraints on Neutrino Oscillations and Spectra from Neutrino Nucleosynthesis

We study the sensitivity to variations in the triple-alpha and {sup 12}C({alpha},{gamma}){sup 16}O reaction rates, of the yield of the neutrino-process isotopes {sup 7}Li, {sup 11}B, {sup 19}F, {sup 138}La, and {sup 180}Ta in core-collapse supernovae. Compared to solar abundances, less than 15% of {sup 7}Li, about 25%-80% of {sup 19}F, and about half of {sup 138}La is produced in these stars. Over a range of {+-}2{sigma} for each helium-burning rate, {sup 11}B is overproduced and the yield varies by an amount larger than the variation caused by the effects of neutrino oscillations. The total {sup 11}B yield, however, may eventually provide constraints on supernova neutrino spectra.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

SUPER-AGB-AGB EVOLUTION AND THE CHEMICAL INVENTORY IN NGC 2419

We follow the scenario of formation of second-generation stars in globular clusters by matter processed by hot bottom burning (HBB) in massive asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and super-AGB stars (SAGB). In the cluster NGC 2419 we assume the presence of an extreme population directly formed from the AGB and SAGB ejecta, so we can directly compare the yields for a metallicity Z = 0.0003 with the chemical inventory of the cluster NGC 2419. At such a low metallicity, the HBB temperatures (well above 10{sup 8} K) allow a very advanced nucleosynthesis. Masses {approx}6 M{sub Sun} deplete Mg and synthesize Si, going beyond Al, so this latter element is only moderately enhanced; sodium cannot be enhanced. The models are consistent with the observations, although the predicted Mg depletion is not as strong as in the observed stars. We predict that the oxygen abundance must be depleted by a huge factor (>50) in the Mg-poor stars. The HBB temperatures are close to the region where other p-capture reactions on heavier nuclei become possible. We show that high potassium abundance found in Mg-poor stars can be achieved during HBB by p-captures on the argon nuclei, if the relevant cross section(s) are larger than listed in the literature or if the HBB temperature is higher. Finally, we speculate that some calcium production is occurring owing to proton capture on potassium. We emphasize the importance of a strong effort to measure a larger sample of abundances in this cluster.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1986

Dark matter near the sun

The amount of dark matter in the disk of the Galaxy at the solar position is determined by comparing the observed distributions of tracer stars with the predictions obtained from different assumptions of how the unseen matter is distributed. The major uncertainties, observational and theoretical, are estimated. For all the observed samples, typical models imply that about half of the mass in the solar vicinity must be in the form of unobserved matter. The volume density of unobserved material near the sun is about 0.1 solar mass/cu pc; the corresponding column density is about 30 solar masses/cu pc. This, so far unseen, material must be in a disk with an exponential scale height of less than 0.7 kpc. All the existing observations are consistent with the unseen disk material being in the form of stars not massive enough to burn hydrogen. It is suggested that the unseen material that is required to hold up the rotation curves of galaxies and to satisfy the virial theorem for clusters of galaxies might also be in the form of low-mass stars.

Bahcall, J. N.↗
DOE OSTI2010

Structure of {sup 30}S with {sup 32}S(p,t){sup 30}S and the thermonuclear {sup 29}P(p,{gamma}){sup 30}S reaction rate

The structure of proton unbound {sup 30}S states is important for determining the {sup 29}P(p,{gamma}){sup 30}S reaction rate, which influences explosive hydrogen burning in classical novae and type I x-ray bursts. The reaction rate in this temperature regime had been previously predicted to be dominated by two low-lying, unobserved, J{sup {pi}=} 3{sup +} and 2{sup +} resonances above the proton threshold in {sup 30}S. To search for these levels, the structure of {sup 30}S was studied using the {sup 32}S(p,t){sup 30}S transfer reaction with a magnetic spectrograph. We have confirmed a previous detection of a state near 4700 keV, which had tentatively been assigned J{sup {pi}=}3{sup +}. We have also discovered a new state at 4814(3) keV, which is a strong candidate for the other important resonance (J{sup {pi}=}2{sup +}). The new {sup 29}P(p,{gamma}){sup 30}S reaction rate is up to 4-20 times larger than previously determined rates over the relevant temperature range. The uncertainty in the reaction rate due to uncertainties in the resonance energies has been significantly reduced.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

ASTEROSEISMOLOGY OF THE OPEN CLUSTERS NGC 6791, NGC 6811, AND NGC 6819 FROM 19 MONTHS OF KEPLER PHOTOMETRY

We studied solar-like oscillations in 115 red giants in the three open clusters, NGC 6791, NGC 6811, and NGC 6819, based on photometric data covering more than 19 months with NASA's Kepler space telescope. We present the asteroseismic diagrams of the asymptotic parameters {delta}{nu}{sub 02}, {delta}{nu}{sub 01}, and {epsilon}, which show clear correlation with fundamental stellar parameters such as mass and radius. When the stellar populations from the clusters are compared, we see evidence for a difference in mass of the red giant branch stars and possibly a difference in structure of the red clump stars, from our measurements of the small separations {delta}{nu}{sub 02} and {delta}{nu}{sub 01}. Ensemble echelle diagrams and upper limits to the linewidths of l = 0 modes as a function of {Delta}{nu} of the clusters NGC 6791 and NGC 6819 are also shown, together with the correlation between the l = 0 ridge width and the T{sub eff} of the stars. Lastly, we distinguish between red giant branch and red clump stars through the measurement of the period spacing of mixed dipole modes in 53 stars among all the three clusters to verify the stellar classification from the color-magnitude diagram. These seismic results also allow us to identify a number of special cases, including evolved blue stragglers and binaries, as well as stars in late He-core burning phases, which can be potentially interesting targets for detailed theoretical modeling.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1991

Massive star evolution and SN 1987A

The evolution of massive stars through hydrogen and helium burning is addressed. A set of stellar evolutionary sequences for mass/solar mass of 15, 20, and 25, and metallicity of 0.002, 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.20 are presented; semiconvection is restricted to operating slower than the local thermal time scale. Using these sequences, simple models of the massive star content of the LMC are found to agree moderately well with the new observational data of Fitzpatrick and Garmany (1990). LMC supergiants were detected only in their postmain-sequence phases, so that 5-10 times more massive stars are there but not identified as such. It is argued that SN 1987A exhibits the normal evolution of a single star of about 20 solar mases having LMC abundances. Despite the variety of envelope behavior, the structure of the core at collapse is rather similar for the stars of a given mass. Variations due to different rates of mass loss are likely to be larger than those due to composition.

Arnett, David↗
NASA NTRS1988

The spectrophotometry and chemical composition of the oxygen-poor bipolar nebula NGC 6164-5

The paper presents new ground-based and IUE spectrophotometry of several positions in NGC 6164-5 surrounding the Population I Of star HD 148937. Electron temperatures, densities, and abundances are derived for the various positions in the nebula using spectral line information. For all of the regions observed, Ne/H is depleted by an amount comparable to O/H, while S/H and Ar/H have normal values. The results suggest that the nebula consists partly of material ejected from inner shell-burning regions of the Of star. In effect, HD 148937 is older and more advanced than what was previously thought.

Dufour, Reginald J.↗
DOE OSTI2011

THE EFFECTS OF THERMONUCLEAR REACTION RATE VARIATIONS ON {sup 26}Al PRODUCTION IN MASSIVE STARS: A SENSITIVITY STUDY

We investigate the effects of thermonuclear reaction rate variations on {sup 26}Al production in massive stars. The dominant production sites in such events were recently investigated by using stellar model calculations: explosive neon-carbon burning, convective shell carbon burning, and convective core hydrogen burning. Post-processing nucleosynthesis calculations are performed for each of these sites by adopting temperature-density-time profiles from recent stellar evolution models. For each profile, we individually multiplied the rates of all relevant reactions by factors of 10, 2, 0.5, and 0.1, and analyzed the resulting abundance changes of {sup 26}Al. In total, we performed {approx}900 nuclear reaction network calculations. Our simulations are based on a next-generation nuclear physics library, called STARLIB, which contains a recent evaluation of Monte Carlo reaction rates. Particular attention is paid to quantifying the rate uncertainties of those reactions that most sensitively influence {sup 26}Al production. For stellar modelers our results indicate to what degree predictions of {sup 26}Al nucleosynthesis depend on currently uncertain nuclear physics input, while for nuclear experimentalists our results represent a guide for future measurements. We also investigate equilibration effects of {sup 26}Al. In all previous massive star investigations, either a single species or two species of {sup 26}Al were taken into account, depending on whether thermal equilibrium was achieved or not. These are two extreme assumptions, and in a hot stellar plasma the ground and isomeric states may communicate via {gamma}-ray transitions involving higher-lying {sup 26}Al levels. We tabulate the results of our reaction rate sensitivity study for each of the three distinct massive star sites referred to above. It is found that several current reaction rate uncertainties influence the production of {sup 26}Al. Particularly important reactions are {sup 26}Al(n,p){sup 26}Mg, {sup 25}Mg({alpha},n){sup 28}Si, {sup 24}Mg(n,{gamma}){sup 25}Mg, and {sup 23}Na({alpha},p){sup 26}Mg. These reactions should be prime targets for future measurements. Overall, we estimate that the nuclear physics uncertainty of the {sup 26}Al yield predicted by the massive star models explored here amounts to about a factor of three. We also find that taking the equilibration of {sup 26}Al levels explicitly into account in any of the massive star sites investigated here has only minor effects on the predicted {sup 26}Al yields. Furthermore, we provide for the interested reader detailed comments regarding the current status of certain reactions, including {sup 12}C({sup 12}C,n){sup 23}Mg, {sup 23}Na({alpha},p){sup 26}Mg, {sup 25}Mg({alpha},n){sup 28}Si, {sup 26}Al {sup m}(p,{gamma}){sup 27}Si, {sup 26}Al(n,p){sup 26}Mg, and {sup 26}Al(n,{alpha}){sup 23}Na.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1967

Stellar evolution. VII.

Evolution of 2.25 M star from main sequence to helium burning phase noting lifetimes, nuclear burning of core, stellar mass fraction and stellar model algorithm

GIANT STAR↗
DOE OSTI2014

The ignition of carbon detonations via converging shock waves in white dwarfs

The progenitor channel responsible for the majority of Type Ia supernovae is still uncertain. One emergent scenario involves the detonation of a He-rich layer surrounding a C/O white dwarf, which sends a shock wave into the core. The quasi-spherical shock wave converges and strengthens at an off-center location, forming a second, C-burning, detonation that disrupts the whole star. In this paper, we examine this second detonation of the double detonation scenario using a combination of analytic and numeric techniques. We perform a spatially resolved study of the imploding shock wave and outgoing detonation and calculate the critical imploding shock strengths needed to achieve a core C detonation. We find that He detonations in recent two-dimensional simulations yield converging shock waves that are strong enough to ignite C detonations in high-mass C/O cores, with the caveat that a truly robust answer requires multi-dimensional detonation initiation calculations. We also find that convergence-driven detonations in low-mass C/O cores and in O/Ne cores are harder to achieve and are perhaps unrealized in standard binary evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effects of a new 3-alpha reaction on the s-process in massive stars

Effect of a new 3-alpha reaction rate on the s-process during the evolution of a massive star of 25 solar mass is investigated for the first time, because the s-process in massive stars have been believed to be established with only minor change. We find that the s-process with use of the new rate during the core helium burning is very inefficient compared to the case with the previous 3-alpha rate. However, the difference of the overproduction is found to be largely compensated by the subsequent carbon burning. Since the s-process in massive stars has been attributed so far to the neutron irradiation during core helium burning, our finding reveals for the first time the importance of the carbon burning for the s-process during the evolution of massive stars.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Remarkable Three Hour Thermonuclear Burst from 4U 1820-30

We present a detailed observational and theoretical study of an approximately three hour long X-ray burst (the "super burst") observed by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) from the low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1820-30. This is the longest X-ray burst ever observed from this source, and perhaps one of the longest ever observed in great detail from any source. We show that the super burst is thermonuclear in origin. Its peak luminosity of approximately 3.4 x 10(exp 38) ergs s(exp -1) is consistent with the helium Eddington limit for a neutron star at approximately 7 kpc, as well as the peak luminosity of other, shorter, thermonuclear bursts from the same source. The super burst begins in the decaying tail of a more typical (approximately equal to 20 s duration) thermonuclear burst. These shorter, more frequent bursts are well known helium flashes from this source. The level of the accretion driven flux as well as the observed energy release of upwards of 1.5 x 10(exp 42) ergs indicate that helium could not be the energy source for the super burst. We outline the physics relevant to carbon production and burning on helium accreting neutron stars and present calculations of the thermal evolution and stability of a carbon layer and show that this process is the most likely explanation for the super burst. Ignition at the temperatures in the deep carbon "ocean" requires greater than 30 times the mass of carbon inferred from the observed burst energetics unless the He flash is able to trigger a deflagration from a much smaller mass of carbon. We show, however, that for large columns of accreted carbon fuel, a substantial fraction of the energy released in the carbon burning layer is radiated away as neutrinos, and the heat that is conducted from the burning layer in large part flows inward, only to be released on timescales longer than the observed burst. Thus the energy released during the event possibly exceeds that observed in X-rays by more than a factor of ten, making the scenario of burning a large mass of carbon at great depths consistent with the observed fluence without invoking any additional trigger. A strong constraint on this scenario is the recurrence time: to accrete an ignition column of 1013 g cm (exp -1) takes approximately 13/(M/3 x 10(exp 17) g s(exp -1) yr. Spectral analysis during the super burst reveals the presence of a broad emission line between 5.8 - 6.4 keV and an edge at 8 - 9 keV likely due to reflection of the burst flux from the inner accretion disk in 4U 1820-30. We believe this is the first time such a signature has been unambiguously detected in the spectrum of an X-ray burst.

Strohmayer, Tod E.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nature versus nurture: distinguishing effects from stellar processing and chemical evolution on carbon and nitrogen in red giant stars

ABSTRACT The surface [C/N] ratios of evolved giants are strongly affected by the first dredge-up (FDU) of nuclear-processed material from stellar cores. C and N also have distinct nucleosynthetic origins and serve as diagnostics of mixing and mass-loss. We use subgiants to find strong trends in the birth [C/N] with [Fe/H], which differ between the low-α and high-α populations. We demonstrate that these birth trends have a strong impact on the surface abundances after the FDU. This effect is neglected in current stellar models, which use solar-scaled C and N. We map out the FDU as a function of evolutionary state, mass, and composition using a large and precisely measured asteroseismic data set in first-ascent red giant branch (RGB) and core He-burning, or red clump (RC), stars. We describe the domains where [C/N] is a useful mass diagnostic and find that the RC complements the RGB and extends the range of validity to higher mass. We find evidence for extra mixing on the RGB below [Fe/H] = −0.4, matching literature results, for high-α giants, but there is no clear evidence of mixing in the low-α giants. The predicted signal of mass-loss is weak and difficult to detect in our sample. We discuss implications for stellar physics and stellar population applications.

Roberts, John D. (ORCID:0000000228545796)↗