Nucleosynthesis in early supernova winds: The role of neutrinos

Abstract

Nucleosynthesis in early proton-rich neutrino winds is investigated. The inclusion of charged-current neutrino reactions on free nucleons indicates that in conditions extracted from a current supernova model nucleosynthesis will proceed some 40 mass units higher than if they are neglected. An analytical estimate of how high in Z the nucleosynthesis might proceed as a function of the neutrino flux and the usual parameters defining the expansion (entropy, Y e, expansion timescale) is presented as well as the sensitivity of the nucleosynthesis to variations in late time neutron addition and increases to the entropy predicted in the model due to various physical processes that were not included. © Copyright owned by the author(s).