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Context. The 1.8 MeVγ-rays corresponding to the decay of the radioactive isotope²⁶Al (with a half-life of 0.72 Myr ) have been observed by the SPI detector on the INTEGRAL spacecraft and extensively used as a tracer of star formation and current nucleosynthetic activity in the Milky Way Galaxy. Further information is encoded in the observation related to the higher²⁶Al content found in regions of the Galaxy with the highest line-of-sight (LoS) velocity relative to an observer located in the Solar System. However, this feature remains unexplained. Aims. We ran a cosmological “zoom-in” chemodynamical simulation of a Milky Way-type galaxy, including the production and decays of radioactive nuclei in a fully self-consistent way. We then analyzed the results to follow the evolution of²⁶Al throughout the lifetime of the simulated galaxy to provide a new method for interpreting the²⁶Al observations. Methods. We included the massive star sources of²⁶Al in the Galaxy and its radioactive decay into a state-of-the-art galactic chemical evolution model, coupled with cosmological growth and hydrodynamics. This approach allowed us to follow the spatial and temporal evolution of the²⁶Al content in the simulated galaxy. Results. Our results are in agreement with the observations with respect to the fact that gas particles in the simulation with relatively higher²⁶Al content also have the highest LoS velocities. On the other hand, gas particles with relatively lower²⁶Al content (i.e., not bright enough to be observed) generally display the lowest LoS velocities. However, this result is not conclusive because the overall rotational velocity of our simulated galaxy is higher than that observed for cold CO gas in the Milky Way Galaxy. Furthermore, we found no significant correlation between gas temperature, rotational velocity, and²⁶Al content at any given radius. We also found the presence of transient²⁶Al-rich spots at low LoS velocities and we show that one such spot had been captured by the INTEGRAL/SPI data. Based on our model, we present a prediction for the detection of 1.8 MeVγ-rays by the future COSI mission. We find that according to our model, the new instrument will be able to observe similar²⁶Al-emission patterns to those seen by INTEGRAL/SPI. 

Context.In their final stages before undergoing a core-collapse supernova, massive stars may experience mergers between internal shells where carbon (C) and oxygen (O) are consumed as fuels for nuclear burning. This interaction, known as a C-O shell merger, can dramatically alter the internal structure of the star, leading to peculiar nucleosynthesis and potentially influencing the supernova explosion and the propagation of the subsequent supernova shock. Aims.Our understanding of the frequency and consequences of C-O shell mergers remains limited. This study aims to identify, for the first time, early diagnostics in the stellar structure that lead to C-O shell mergers in more advanced stages. We also assess their role in shaping the chemical abundances in the most metal poor stars of the Galaxy. Methods.We analyzed a set of 209 stellar evolution models available in the literature, with different initial progenitor masses and metallicities. We then compared the nucleosynthetic yields from a subset of these models with the abundances of odd-Zelements in metal-poor stars. Results.We find that the occurrence of C-O shell mergers in stellar models can be predicted with a good approximation based on the outcomes of the central He burning phase, specifically, from the CO core mass (M_CO) and the¹²C central mass fraction (X_C12): 90% of models with a C-O merger have X_C12<0.277 and M_CO<4.90 M_⊙, with average values of M_CO= 4.02 M_⊙and X_C12= 0.176. The quantities X_C12and M_COare indirectly affected from several stellar properties, including the initial stellar mass and metallicity. Additionally, we confirm that the Sc-rich and K-rich yields from models with C-O mergers would solve the long-standing underproduction of these elements in massive stars. Conclusions.Our results emphasize the crucial role of C-O shell mergers in enriching the interstellar medium, particularly in the production of odd-Zelements. This highlights the necessity of further investigations to refine their influence on presupernova stellar properties and their broader impact on Galactic chemical evolution. 

Context.Theγprocess in core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) can produce a number of neutron-deficient stable isotopes heavier than iron (pnuclei). However, current model predictions do not fully reproduce solar abundances, especially for^92, 94Mo and^96, 98Ru. Aims.We investigate the impact of different explosion energies and parametrizations on the nucleosynthesis ofpnuclei, by studying stellar models with different initial masses and different CCSN explosions. Methods.We compared thep-nucleus yields obtained using a semi-analytical method to simulate the supernova to those obtained using hydrodynamic models. We explored the effect of varying the explosion parameters on thep-nucleus production in two sets of CCSN models with initial masses of 15, 20, and 25M_⊙at solar metallicity. We calculated a new set of 24 CCSN models (eight for each stellar progenitor mass) and compared our results with another recently published set of 80 CCSN models that includes a wide range of explosion parameters: explosion energy or initial shock velocity, energy injection time, and mass location of the injection. Results.We find that the totalp-nucleus yields are only marginally affected by the CCSN explosion prescriptions if theγ-process production is already efficient in the stellar progenitors due to a C−O shell merger. In most CCSN explosions from progenitors without a C−O shell merger, theγ-process yields increase with the explosion energy by up to an order of magnitude, depending on the progenitor structure and the CCSN prescriptions. The general trend of thep-nucleus production with the explosion energy is more complicated if we look at the production of singlepnuclei. The lightp-nuclei tend to be the most enhanced with increasing explosion energy. In particular, for the CCSN models where theα-rich freeze-out component is ejected, the yields of the lightestpnuclei (including^92, 94Mo and⁹⁶Ru) increase by up to three orders of magnitude. Conclusions.We provide the first extensive study using different sets of massive stars of the impact of varying CCSN explosion prescriptions on the production ofpnuclei. Unlike previous expectations and recent results in the literature, we find that the average production ofpnuclei tends to increase with the explosion energy. We also confirm that the pre-explosion production ofpnuclei in C−O shell mergers is a robust result, independent of the subsequent explosive nucleosynthesis. More generally, a realistic range of variations in the evolution of stellar progenitors and in the CCSN explosions might boost the CCSN contribution to the galactic chemical evolution ofpnuclei. 

Context. The γ -process nucleosynthesis in core-collapse supernovae is generally accepted as a feasible process for the synthesis of neutron-deficient isotopes beyond iron. However, crucial discrepancies between theory and observations still exist: the average yields of γ -process nucleosynthesis from massive stars are still insufficient to reproduce the solar distribution in galactic chemical evolution calculations, and the yields of the Mo and Ru isotopes are a factor of ten lower than the yields of the other γ -process nuclei. Aims. We investigate the γ -process in five sets of core-collapse supernova models published in the literature with initial masses of 15, 20, and 25 M ⊙ at solar metallicity. Methods. We compared the γ -process overproduction factors from the different models. To highlight the possible effect of nuclear physics input, we also considered 23 ratios of two isotopes close to each other in mass relative to their solar values. Further, we investigated the contribution of C–O shell mergers in the supernova progenitors as an additional site of the γ -process. Results. Our analysis shows that a large scatter among the different models exists for both the γ -process integrated yields and the isotopic ratios. We find only ten ratios that agree with their solar values, all the others differ by at least a factor of three from the solar values in all the considered sets of models. The γ -process within C–O shell mergers mostly influences the isotopic ratios that involve intermediate and heavy proton-rich isotopes with A  > 100. Conclusions. We conclude that there are large discrepancies both among the different data sets and between the model predictions and the solar abundance distribution. More calculations are needed; particularly updating the nuclear network, because the majority of the models considered in this work do not use the latest reaction rates for the γ -process nucleosynthesis. Moreover, the role of C–O shell mergers requires further investigation. 

Context. Barium (Ba) stars are characterised by an abundance of heavy elements made by the slow neutron capture process ( s -process). This peculiar observed signature is due to the mass transfer from a stellar companion, bound in a binary stellar system, to the Ba star observed today. The signature is created when the stellar companion is an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star. Aims. We aim to analyse the abundance pattern of 169 Ba stars using machine learning techniques and the AGB final surface abundances predicted by the F RUITY and Monash stellar models. Methods. We developed machine learning algorithms that use the abundance pattern of Ba stars as input to classify the initial mass and metallicity of each Ba star’s companion star using stellar model predictions. We used two algorithms. The first exploits neural networks to recognise patterns, and the second is a nearest-neighbour algorithm that focuses on finding the AGB model that predicts the final surface abundances closest to the observed Ba star values. In the second algorithm, we included the error bars and observational uncertainties in order to find the best-fit model. The classification process was based on the abundances of Fe, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ru, Nd, Ce, Sm, and Eu. We selected these elements by systematically removing s -process elements from our AGB model abundance distributions and identifying the elements whose removal had the biggest positive effect on the classification. We excluded Nb, Y, Mo, and La. Our final classification combined the output of both algorithms to identify an initial mass and metallicity range for each Ba star companion. Results. With our analysis tools, we identified the main properties for 166 of the 169 Ba stars in the stellar sample. The classifications based on both stellar sets of AGB final abundances show similar distributions, with an average initial mass of M = 2.23 M ⊙ and 2.34 M ⊙ and an average [Fe/H] = −0.21 and −0.11, respectively. We investigated why the removal of Nb, Y, Mo, and La improves our classification and identified 43 stars for which the exclusion had the biggest effect. We found that these stars have statistically significant and different abundances for these elements compared to the other Ba stars in our sample. We discuss the possible reasons for these differences in the abundance patterns. 

Abstract Radioactive nuclei were present in the early solar system (ESS), as inferred from analysis of meteorites. Many are produced in massive stars, either during their lives or their final explosions. In the first paper of this series (Brinkman et al. 2019), we focused on the production of 26 Al in massive binaries. Here, we focus on the production of another two short-lived radioactive nuclei, 36 Cl and 41 Ca, and the comparison to the ESS data. We used the MESA stellar evolution code with an extended nuclear network and computed massive (10–80 M ⊙ ), rotating (with initial velocities of 150 and 300 km s −1 ) and nonrotating single stars at solar metallicity ( Z = 0.014) up to the onset of core collapse. We present the wind yields for the radioactive isotopes 26 Al, 36 Cl, and 41 Ca, and the stable isotopes 19 F and 22 Ne. In relation to the stable isotopes, we find that only the most massive models, ≥60 and ≥40 M ⊙ give positive 19 F and 22 Ne yields, respectively, depending on the initial rotation rate. In relation to the radioactive isotopes, we find that the ESS abundances of 26 Al and 41 Ca can be matched with by models with initial masses ≥40 M ⊙ , while 36 Cl is matched only by our most massive models, ≥60 M ⊙ . 60 Fe is not significantly produced by any wind model, as required by the observations. Therefore, massive star winds are a favored candidate for the origin of the very short-lived 26 Al, 36 Cl, and 41 Ca in the ESS. 

Abstract The radioisotope 26 Al is a key observable for nucleosynthesis in the Galaxy and the environment of the early Solar System. To properly interpret the large variety of astronomical and meteoritic data, it is crucial to understand both the nuclear reactions involved in the production of 26 Al in the relevant stellar sites and the physics of such sites. These range from the winds of low- and intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars; to massive and very massive stars, both their Wolf–Rayet winds and their final core-collapse supernovae (CCSN); and the ejecta from novae, the explosions that occur on the surface of a white dwarf accreting material from a stellar companion. Several reactions affect the production of 26 Al in these astrophysical objects, including (but not limited to) 25 Mg( p , γ ) 26 Al, 26 Al( p , γ ) 27 Si, and 26 Al( n , p / α ). Extensive experimental effort has been spent during recent years to improve our understanding of such key reactions. Here we present a summary of the astrophysical motivation for the study of 26 Al, a review of its production in the different stellar sites, and a timely evaluation of the currently available nuclear data. We also provide recommendations for the nuclear input into stellar models and suggest relevant, future experimental work. 

Abstract The study of stellar burning began just over 100 years ago. Nonetheless, we do not yet have a detailed picture of the nucleosynthesis within stars and how nucleosynthesis impacts stellar structure and the remnants of stellar evolution. Achieving this understanding will require precise direct measurements of the nuclear reactions involved. This report summarizes the status of direct measurements for stellar burning, focusing on developments of the last couple of decades, and offering a prospectus of near-future developments. 

Meteoritic analysis demonstrates that radioactive nuclei heavier than iron were present in the early Solar System. Among them, 129I and 247Cm both have a rapid neutron-capture process (r process) origin and decay on the same timescale (≃ 15.6 Myr). We show that the 129I/247Cm abundance ratio in the early Solar System (438±184) is immune to galactic evolution uncertainties and represents the first direct observational constraint for the properties of the last r-process event that polluted the pre-solar nebula. We investigate the physical conditions of this event using nucleosynthesis calculations and demonstrate that moderately neutron-rich ejecta can produce the observed ratio. We conclude that a dominant contribution by exceedingly neutron-rich ejecta is highly disfavoured.