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Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 201102 (2003) [4 pages]

Consequences of Nuclear Electron Capture in Core Collapse Supernovae

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W. R. Hix1,2,3, O. E. B. Messer1,2,3, A. Mezzacappa2, M. Liebendörfer4,1,2, J. Sampaio5, K. Langanke5, D. J. Dean2, and G. Martínez-Pinedo6,7
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1200, USA
2Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6354, USA
3Joint Institute for Heavy Ion Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6374, USA
4Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8, Canada
5Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Århus, DK-8000 Århus C, Denmark
6Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
7Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Lluís Companys 23, E-08010 Barcelona, Spain

Received 25 April 2003; published 14 November 2003

The most important weak nuclear interaction to the dynamics of stellar core collapse is electron capture, primarily on nuclei with masses larger than 60. In prior simulations of core collapse, electron capture on these nuclei has been treated in a highly parametrized fashion, if not ignored. With realistic treatment of electron capture on heavy nuclei come significant changes in the hydrodynamics of core collapse and bounce. We discuss these as well as the ramifications for the postbounce evolution in core collapse supernovae.

© 2003 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.201102
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.201102
PACS:
97.60.Bw, 23.40.–s, 26.50.+x
 
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