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Mass Measurements of Very Neutron-Deficient Mo and Tc Isotopes and Their Impact on rp Process Nucleosynthesis

E. Haettner et al.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 122501 – Published 21 March 2011
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Abstract

The masses of ten proton-rich nuclides, including the N=Z+1 nuclides Mo85 and Tc87, were measured with the Penning trap mass spectrometer SHIPTRAP. Compared to the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2003 a systematic shift of the mass surface by up to 1.6 MeV is observed causing significant abundance changes of the ashes of astrophysical x-ray bursts. Surprisingly low α separation energies for neutron-deficient Mo and Tc are found, making the formation of a ZrNb cycle in the rp process possible. Such a cycle would impose an upper temperature limit for the synthesis of elements beyond Nb in the rp process.

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  • Received 26 August 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.122501

© 2011 American Physical Society

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Putting rare isotopes on the scale

Published 21 March 2011

New mass measurements of proton-rich nuclei will allow scientists to more accurately simulate the nucleosynthesis that occurs on the surface of neutron stars.

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Vol. 106, Iss. 12 — 25 March 2011

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