Enhanced production of 60Fe in massive stars

A. Spyrou (), D. Richman, A. Couture, C. E. Fields, S. N. Liddick, K. Childers, B. P. Crider, P. A. DeYoung, A. C. Dombos, P. Gastis, M. Guttormsen, K. Hermansen, A. C. Larsen, R. Lewis, S. Lyons, J. E. Midtbø, S. Mosby, D. Muecher, F. Naqvi, A. Palmisano-Kyle, G. Perdikakis, C. Prokop, H. Schatz, M. K. Smith, C. Sumithrarachchi and A. Sweet
Additional contact information
A. Spyrou: Michigan State University
D. Richman: Michigan State University
A. Couture: Los Alamos National Laboratory
C. E. Fields: Los Alamos National Laboratory
S. N. Liddick: Michigan State University
K. Childers: Michigan State University
B. P. Crider: Michigan State University
P. A. DeYoung: Hope College
A. C. Dombos: Michigan State University
P. Gastis: Los Alamos National Laboratory
M. Guttormsen: University of Oslo
K. Hermansen: Michigan State University
A. C. Larsen: University of Oslo
R. Lewis: Michigan State University
S. Lyons: Michigan State University
J. E. Midtbø: University of Oslo
S. Mosby: Los Alamos National Laboratory
D. Muecher: Institut für Kernphysik der Universität zu Köln
F. Naqvi: Michigan State University
A. Palmisano-Kyle: Michigan State University
G. Perdikakis: Central Michigan University
C. Prokop: Michigan State University
H. Schatz: Michigan State University
M. K. Smith: Michigan State University
C. Sumithrarachchi: Michigan State University
A. Sweet: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Massive stars are a major source of chemical elements in the cosmos, ejecting freshly produced nuclei through winds and core-collapse supernova explosions into the interstellar medium. Among the material ejected, long-lived radioisotopes, such as 60Fe (iron) and 26Al (aluminum), offer unique signs of active nucleosynthesis in our galaxy. There is a long-standing discrepancy between the observed 60Fe/26Al ratio by γ-ray telescopes and predictions from supernova models. This discrepancy has been attributed to uncertainties in the nuclear reaction networks producing 60Fe, and one reaction in particular, the neutron-capture on 59Fe. Here we present experimental results that provide a strong constraint on this reaction. We use these results to show that the production of 60Fe in massive stars is higher than previously thought, further increasing the discrepancy between observed and predicted 60Fe/26Al ratios. The persisting discrepancy can therefore not be attributed to nuclear uncertainties, and points to issues in massive-star models.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54040-4

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