Publications by authors named "Matthew R Mumpower"
We demonstrate that the well-known 2.6 MeV gamma-ray emission line from thallium-208 could serve as a real-time indicator of astrophysical heavy element production, with both rapid (r) and intermediate (i) neutron capture processes capable of its synthesis. We consider the r process in a Galactic neutron star merger and show Tl-208 to be detectable from ∼12 hours to ∼ten days, and again ∼1-20 years postevent.
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- The heaviest chemical elements are formed during extreme cosmic events like neutron star mergers or supernovae through a process called the rapid neutron-capture process (-process).
- The production of elements heavier than uranium is not fully understood and relies on theoretical models rather than experimental data.
- Researchers found a correlation in the abundances of certain elements (ruthenium to silver) with heavier elements but none with adjacent lighter ones, suggesting that these transuranic nuclei may contribute to element formation in these cosmic events.
The composition of the early Solar System can be inferred from meteorites. Many elements heavier than iron were formed by the rapid neutron capture process (r-process), but the astrophysical sources where this occurred remain poorly understood. We demonstrate that the near-identical half-lives [Formula: see text] of the radioactive r-process nuclei iodine-129 and curium-247 preserve their ratio, irrespective of the time between production and incorporation into the Solar System.
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