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Recent studies have highlighted the sensitivity of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) models to electron-capture (EC) rates on neutron-rich nuclei near theN= 50 closed-shell region. In this work, we perform a large suite of one-dimensional CCSN simulations for 200 stellar progenitors using recently updated EC rates in this region. For comparison, we repeat the simulations using two previous implementations of EC rates: a microphysical library with parametrizedN= 50 rates (LMP), and an older independent-particle approximation (IPA). We follow the simulations through shock revival up to several seconds post-bounce, and show that the EC rates produce a consistent imprint on CCSN properties, often surpassing the role of the progenitor itself. Notable impacts include the timescale of core collapse, the electron fraction and mass of the inner core at bounce, the accretion rate through the shock, the success or failure of revival, and the properties of the central compact remnant. We also compare the observable neutrino signal of the neutronization burst in a DUNE-like detector, and find consistent impacts on the counts and mean energies. Overall, the updated rates result in properties that are intermediate between LMP and IPA, and yet slightly more favorable to explosion than both.

 

Abstract We reassess the 65 As(p, γ ) 66 Se reaction rates based on a set of proton thresholds of 66 Se, S p ( 66 Se), estimated from the experimental mirror nuclear masses, theoretical mirror displacement energies, and full p f -model space shell-model calculation. The self-consistent relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory is employed to obtain the mirror displacement energies with much reduced uncertainty, and thus reducing the proton-threshold uncertainty up to 161 keV compared to the AME2020 evaluation. Using the simulation instantiated by the one-dimensional multi-zone hydrodynamic code, K epler , which closely reproduces the observed GS 1826−24 clocked bursts, the present forward and reverse 65 As(p, γ ) 66 Se reaction rates based on a selected S p ( 66 Se) = 2.469 ± 0.054 MeV, and the latest 22 Mg( α ,p) 25 Al, 56 Ni(p, γ ) 57 Cu, 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn, 55 Ni(p, γ ) 56 Cu, and 64 Ge(p, γ ) 65 As reaction rates, we find that though the GeAs cycles are weakly established in the rapid-proton capture process path, the 65 As(p, γ ) 66 Se reaction still strongly characterizes the burst tail end due to the two-proton sequential capture on 64 Ge, not found by the Cyburt et al. sensitivity study. The 65 As(p, γ ) 66 Se reaction influences the abundances of nuclei A = 64, 68, 72, 76, and 80 up to a factor of 1.4. The new S p ( 66 Se) and the inclusion of the updated 22 Mg( α ,p) 25 Al reaction rate increases the production of 12 C up to a factor of 4.5, which is not observable and could be the main fuel for a superburst. The enhancement of the 12 C mass fraction alleviates the discrepancy in explaining the origin of the superburst. The waiting point status of and two-proton sequential capture on 64 Ge, the weak-cycle feature of GeAs at a region heavier than 64 Ge, and the impact of other possible S p ( 66 Se) are also discussed. 

Up to now, more than 62 of the 115 X-ray sources of low-mass-X-ray binaries have been identified as photospheric radius expansion (PRE) bursters [1]. Galloway and collaborators expect more PRE bursters in their near future analysis [2]. Although more than half of the discovered X-ray sources are PRE bursters, the bursting mechanism of PRE burster is still not adequately understood. This is because of the complicated hydrodynamics and variable accretion rates. An example is the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4–3658 [3, 4] that powered up the brightest Type-I X-ray burst (XRB) recorded by NICER in recent history [5]. The first 1D multi-zone model of SAX J1808.4–3658 was recently constructed [6, 7]. The pioneering model offers a first concurrent and direct comparison with the observed light curves, fluences, and recurrence times. With the three observables, a comparison between theory and observations could be more sensitive than the previous studies of the clocked burster and post-processing models. We perform a sensitivity study on ( α ,p), ( α , γ ), (p, α ), and (p, γ ) reactions with a total up to ~1,500 reactions. Our current result indicates that the observables are more sensitive to the competition between the reactions involving alpha-capture, e.g., the 22 Mg( α , p) and 22 Mg(p, γ ) reactions competing at the 22 Mg branch point [8]. 

Abstract During the X-ray bursts of GS 1826−24, a “clocked burster”, the nuclear reaction flow that surges through the rapid-proton capture process path has to pass through the NiCu cycles before reaching the ZnGa cycles that moderate further hydrogen burning in the region above the germanium and selenium isotopes. The 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction that occurs in the NiCu cycles plays an important role in influencing the burst light curves found by Cyburt et al. We deduce the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction rate based on the experimentally determined important nuclear structure information, isobaric-multiplet-mass equation, and large-scale shell-model calculations. Based on the isobaric-multiplet-mass equation, we propose a possible order of 1 1 + - and 2 3 + -dominant resonance states and constrain the resonance energy of the 1 2 + state. The latter reduces the contribution of the 1 2 + -dominant resonance state. The new reaction rate is up to a factor of 4 lower than the Forstner et al. rate recommended by JINA REACLIB v2.2 at the temperature regime sensitive to clocked bursts of GS 1826−24. Using the simulation from the one-dimensional implicit hydrodynamic code K epler to model the thermonuclear X-ray bursts of the GS 1826−24 clocked burster, we find that the new 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction rate, coupled with the latest 56 Ni(p, γ ) 57 Cu and 55 Ni(p, γ ) 56 Cu reaction rates, redistributes the reaction flow in the NiCu cycles and strongly influences the burst ash composition, whereas the 59 Cu(p, α ) 56 Ni and 59 Cu(p, γ ) 60 Zn reactions suppress the influence of the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction and diminish the impact of nuclear reaction flow that bypasses the important 56 Ni waiting point induced by the 55 Ni(p, γ ) 56 Cu reaction on the burst light curve. 

In Type-I X-ray bursts (XRBs), the rapid-proton capture (rp-) process passes through the NiCu and ZnGa cycles before reaching the region above Ge and Se isotopes that hydrogen burning actively powers the XRBs. The sensitivity study performed by Cyburt et al . [1] shows that the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction in the NiCu cycles is the fifth most important rp-reaction influencing the burst light curves. Langer et al . [2] precisely measured some low-lying energy levels of 58 Zn to deduce the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction rate. Nevertheless, the order of the 1 + 1 and 2 + 3 resonance states that dominate at 0:2 ≲ T (GK) ≲ 0:8 is not confirmed. The 1 + 2 resonance state, which dominates at the XRB sensitive temperature regime 0:8 ≲ T (GK) ≲ 2 was not detected. Using isobaric-multipletmass equation (IMME), we estimate the order of the 1 + 1 and 2 + 3 resonance states and estimate the lower limit of the 1 + 2 resonance energy. We then determine the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction rate using the full pf -model space shell model calculations. The new rate is up to a factor of four lower than the Forstner et al . [3] rate recommended by JINA REACLIBv2.2. Using the present 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn, the latest 56 Ni(p, γ ) 57 Cu and 55 Ni(p, γ ) 56 Cu reaction rates, and 1D implicit hydrodynamic K epler code, we model the thermonuclear XRBs of the clocked burster GS 1826–24. We find that the new rates regulate the reaction flow in the NiCu cycles and strongly influence the burst-ash composition. The 59 Cu(p, γ ) 56 Ni and 59 Cu(p, α ) 60 Zn reactions suppress the influence of the 57 Cu(p, γ ) 58 Zn reaction. They strongly diminish the impact of the nuclear reaction flow that bypasses the 56 Ni waiting point induced by the 55 Ni(p, γ ) 56 Cu reaction on burst light curve.