R-process nucleosynthesis and nuclei far from the region of β-stability

Abstract

The gross theory of β-decay is applied to make improved estimates of the absolute magnitude of β-decay half-lives and related variables in the r-process calculation. The time necessary for synthesis seems to be considerably longer than assumed in some of the recent studies of the dynamic r-process. This means the necessity of suitable re-scaling of the expansion rates in the dynamics. Although the application of the improvements to the dynamics is most interesting, the present paper has limited itself to the classical quasi-static model of Seeger, Fowler and Clayton in performing the abundance calculation. The calculation method of the final abundance curve can allow several nuclear processes to interrupt β-decay cascades before the β-stability region is reached. The sudden freezing of neutron flux and temperature is assumed to precede these processes. In particular, the effect of β-delayed neutron emission after freezing is extensively studied. The β-delayed fission is also discussed. The calculated β-strength functions are compared with the recent experimental data obtained at the ISOLDE and OSIRIS facilities. © 1975.