TY - GEN
T1 - The effects of changes in reaction rates on simulations of nova explosions
AU - Starrfield, Sumner
AU - Iliadis, C.
AU - Hix, W. R.
AU - Timmes, Francis
AU - Sparks, W. M.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Classical novae participate in the cycle of Galactic chemical evolution in which grains and metal enriched gas in their ejecta, supplementing those of supernovae, AGB stars, and Wolf-Rayet stars, are a source of heavy elements for the ISM. Once in the diffuse gas, this material is mixed with the existing gases and then incorporated into young stars and planetary systems during star formation. Infrared observations have confirmed the presence of carbon, SiC, hydrocarbons, and oxygen-rich silicate grains in nova ejecta, suggesting that some fraction of the pre-solar grains identified in meteoritic material come from novae. The mean mass returned by a nova outburst to the ISM probably exceeds ∼ 2 × 10-4 M⊙. Using the observed nova rate of 35±11 per year in our Galaxy, it follows that novae introduce more than ∼ 7 × 10-3 M⊙ yr -1 of processed matter into the ISM. Novae are expected to be the major source of 15N and 17O in the Galaxy and to contribute to the abundances of other isotopes in this atomic mass range. Here, we report on how changes in the nuclear reaction rates affect the properties of the outburst and alter the predictions of the contributions of novae to Galactic chemical evolution.
AB - Classical novae participate in the cycle of Galactic chemical evolution in which grains and metal enriched gas in their ejecta, supplementing those of supernovae, AGB stars, and Wolf-Rayet stars, are a source of heavy elements for the ISM. Once in the diffuse gas, this material is mixed with the existing gases and then incorporated into young stars and planetary systems during star formation. Infrared observations have confirmed the presence of carbon, SiC, hydrocarbons, and oxygen-rich silicate grains in nova ejecta, suggesting that some fraction of the pre-solar grains identified in meteoritic material come from novae. The mean mass returned by a nova outburst to the ISM probably exceeds ∼ 2 × 10-4 M⊙. Using the observed nova rate of 35±11 per year in our Galaxy, it follows that novae introduce more than ∼ 7 × 10-3 M⊙ yr -1 of processed matter into the ISM. Novae are expected to be the major source of 15N and 17O in the Galaxy and to contribute to the abundances of other isotopes in this atomic mass range. Here, we report on how changes in the nuclear reaction rates affect the properties of the outburst and alter the predictions of the contributions of novae to Galactic chemical evolution.
KW - Cataclysmic variables
KW - Classical novae
KW - Nuclear astrophysics
KW - Nuclear reaction rates
KW - Nucleosynthesis
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U2 - 10.1063/1.2713538
DO - 10.1063/1.2713538
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:33947718219
SN - 0735403953
SN - 9780735403956
T3 - AIP Conference Proceedings
SP - 364
EP - 372
BT - TOURS SYMPOSIUM ON NUCLEAR PHYSICS VI
T2 - TOURS SYMPOSIUM ON NUCLEAR PHYSICS VI
Y2 - 5 September 2006 through 8 September 2006
ER -