Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae
Approximately 30%–40% of classical novae generate dust between 20 and 100 days following the eruption. However, there has yet to be a definitive identification of presolar stardust grains originating from classical novae. While multiple studies have suggested a nova origin for specific grains, align...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Lauren Ward Christian Iliadis Maitrayee Bose Caleb Marshall Athanasios Psaltis Sumner Starrfield |
| author_facet | Lauren Ward Christian Iliadis Maitrayee Bose Caleb Marshall Athanasios Psaltis Sumner Starrfield |
| author_sort | Lauren Ward |
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| description | Approximately 30%–40% of classical novae generate dust between 20 and 100 days following the eruption. However, there has yet to be a definitive identification of presolar stardust grains originating from classical novae. While multiple studies have suggested a nova origin for specific grains, aligning simultaneously all measured isotopic ratios of a specific grain with those predicted from simulations remains challenging. Using Monte Carlo simulations, this work investigates how uncertainties in thermonuclear reaction rates influence the isotopic ratios predicted in simulations of classical novae, specifically impacting the identification of presolar grains. In particular, we address two questions: (i) What is the impact of uncertainties in reaction rates on the range of isotopic ratios predicted by classical nova simulations? (ii) Which reaction rate uncertainties most significantly influence the predicted abundance ratios in presolar grains? Our results show that current reaction rate uncertainties affect the isotopic ratios of ^12 C/ ^13 C, ^14 N/ ^15 N, ^16 O/ ^17 O, ^16 O/ ^18 O, ^24 Mg/ ^25 Mg, ^24 Mg/ ^26 Mg, ^26 Al/ ^27 Al, and ^28 Si/ ^29 Si by less than 20% in either carbon–oxygen or oxygen–neon (ONe) novae, especially when considering the mixing of matter throughout the entire envelope. However, the isotopic ratios of ^28 Si/ ^30 Si, ^32 S/ ^33 S, and ^32 S/ ^34 S in ONe novae are exceptions: their variability greatly exceeds a factor of 2 due to the uncertainties in the reaction rates of ^30 P(p, γ ) ^31 S, ^33 S(p, γ ) ^34 Cl, and ^34 S(p, γ ) ^35 Cl, respectively. These results highlight the significant influence of specific reaction rates on the predicted abundance ratios and underscore the necessity for accurate nuclear measurements to reduce these uncertainties. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-2ef64096913d4039bc4b45c73d1387182025-08-20T02:35:33ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01986110910.3847/1538-4357/add47aImpact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical NovaeLauren Ward0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7948-3345Christian Iliadis1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2381-0412Maitrayee Bose2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7978-6370Caleb Marshall3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1194-2920Athanasios Psaltis4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2197-0797Sumner Starrfield5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1359-6312Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , NC 27599-3255, USA; Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL), Duke University , Durham, NC 27708, USADepartment of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , NC 27599-3255, USA; Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL), Duke University , Durham, NC 27708, USAEarth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University , P.O. Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-6004, USA; Center for Isotope Analysis (CIA), Arizona State University , Tempe, AZ 85287-1404, USADepartment of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , NC 27599-3255, USA; Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL), Duke University , Durham, NC 27708, USATriangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL), Duke University , Durham, NC 27708, USAEarth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University , P.O. Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-6004, USAApproximately 30%–40% of classical novae generate dust between 20 and 100 days following the eruption. However, there has yet to be a definitive identification of presolar stardust grains originating from classical novae. While multiple studies have suggested a nova origin for specific grains, aligning simultaneously all measured isotopic ratios of a specific grain with those predicted from simulations remains challenging. Using Monte Carlo simulations, this work investigates how uncertainties in thermonuclear reaction rates influence the isotopic ratios predicted in simulations of classical novae, specifically impacting the identification of presolar grains. In particular, we address two questions: (i) What is the impact of uncertainties in reaction rates on the range of isotopic ratios predicted by classical nova simulations? (ii) Which reaction rate uncertainties most significantly influence the predicted abundance ratios in presolar grains? Our results show that current reaction rate uncertainties affect the isotopic ratios of ^12 C/ ^13 C, ^14 N/ ^15 N, ^16 O/ ^17 O, ^16 O/ ^18 O, ^24 Mg/ ^25 Mg, ^24 Mg/ ^26 Mg, ^26 Al/ ^27 Al, and ^28 Si/ ^29 Si by less than 20% in either carbon–oxygen or oxygen–neon (ONe) novae, especially when considering the mixing of matter throughout the entire envelope. However, the isotopic ratios of ^28 Si/ ^30 Si, ^32 S/ ^33 S, and ^32 S/ ^34 S in ONe novae are exceptions: their variability greatly exceeds a factor of 2 due to the uncertainties in the reaction rates of ^30 P(p, γ ) ^31 S, ^33 S(p, γ ) ^34 Cl, and ^34 S(p, γ ) ^35 Cl, respectively. These results highlight the significant influence of specific reaction rates on the predicted abundance ratios and underscore the necessity for accurate nuclear measurements to reduce these uncertainties.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add47aClassical novae |
| spellingShingle | Lauren Ward Christian Iliadis Maitrayee Bose Caleb Marshall Athanasios Psaltis Sumner Starrfield Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae The Astrophysical Journal Classical novae |
| title | Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae |
| title_full | Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae |
| title_short | Impact of Thermonuclear Reaction Rate Uncertainties on the Identification of Presolar Grains from Classical Novae |
| title_sort | impact of thermonuclear reaction rate uncertainties on the identification of presolar grains from classical novae |
| topic | Classical novae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add47a |
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