Measurement of 19F(p, γ)20Ne reaction suggests CNO breakout in first stars

Liyong Zhang, Jianjun He (), Richard J. deBoer, Michael Wiescher (), Alexander Heger, Daid Kahl, Jun Su, Daniel Odell, Yinji Chen, Xinyue Li, Jianguo Wang, Long Zhang, Fuqiang Cao, Hao Zhang, Zhicheng Zhang, Xinzhi Jiang, Luohuan Wang, Ziming Li, Luyang Song, Hongwei Zhao, Liangting Sun, Qi Wu, Jiaqing Li, Baoqun Cui, Lihua Chen, Ruigang Ma, Ertao Li, Gang Lian, Yaode Sheng, Zhihong Li, Bing Guo, Xiaohong Zhou, Yuhu Zhang, Hushan Xu, Jianping Cheng and Weiping Liu ()
Additional contact information
Liyong Zhang: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Jianjun He: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Richard J. deBoer: University of Notre Dame
Michael Wiescher: University of Notre Dame
Alexander Heger: Monash University
Daid Kahl: Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH)
Jun Su: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Daniel Odell: Ohio University
Yinji Chen: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Xinyue Li: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Jianguo Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Long Zhang: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Fuqiang Cao: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Hao Zhang: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Zhicheng Zhang: Shenzhen University
Xinzhi Jiang: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Luohuan Wang: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Ziming Li: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Luyang Song: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Hongwei Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Liangting Sun: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qi Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiaqing Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Baoqun Cui: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Lihua Chen: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Ruigang Ma: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Ertao Li: Shenzhen University
Gang Lian: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Yaode Sheng: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Zhihong Li: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Bing Guo: China Institute of Atomic Energy
Xiaohong Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuhu Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hushan Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianping Cheng: College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University
Weiping Liu: China Institute of Atomic Energy

Nature, 2022, vol. 610, issue 7933, 656-660

Abstract: Abstract Proposed mechanisms for the production of calcium in the first stars (population III stars)—primordial stars that formed out of the matter of the Big Bang—are at odds with observations1. Advanced nuclear burning and supernovae were thought to be the dominant source of the calcium production seen in all stars2. Here we suggest a qualitatively different path to calcium production through breakout from the ‘warm’ carbon–nitrogen–oxygen (CNO) cycle through a direct experimental measurement of the 19F(p, γ)20Ne breakout reaction down to a very low energy point of 186 kiloelectronvolts, reporting a key resonance at 225 kiloelectronvolts. In the domain of astrophysical interest2, at around 0.1 gigakelvin, this thermonuclear 19F(p, γ)20Ne rate is up to a factor of 7.4 larger than the previous recommended rate3. Our stellar models show a stronger breakout during stellar hydrogen burning than previously thought1,4,5, and may reveal the nature of calcium production in population III stars imprinted on the oldest known ultra-iron-poor star, SMSS0313-67086. Our experimental result was obtained in the China JinPing Underground Laboratory7, which offers an environment with an extremely low cosmic-ray-induced background8. Our rate showcases the effect that faint population III star supernovae can have on the nucleosynthesis observed in the oldest known stars and first galaxies, which are key mission targets of the James Webb Space Telescope9.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05230-x

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