r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae

D. Yong; C. Kobayashi; G. S. Da Costa; M. S. Bessell; A. Chiti; A. Frebel; K. Lind; A. D. Mackey; T. Nordlander; M. Asplund; A. R. Casey; A. F. Marino; S. J. Murphy; B. P. Schmidt

doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03611-2

r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae

D. Yong, C. Kobayashi, G. S. Da Costa, M. S. Bessell, A. Chiti, A. Frebel, K. Lind, A. D. Mackey, T. Nordlander, M. Asplund, A. R. Casey, A. F. Marino, S. J. Murphy, B. P. Schmidt

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Neutron-star mergers were recently confirmed as sites of rapid-neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis^1–3. However, in Galactic chemical evolution models, neutron-star mergers alone cannot reproduce the observed element abundance patterns of extremely metal-poor stars, which indicates the existence of other sites of r-process nucleosynthesis^4–6. These sites may be investigated by studying the element abundance patterns of chemically primitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way, because these objects retain the nucleosynthetic signatures of the earliest generation of stars^7–13. Here we report the element abundance pattern of the extremely metal-poor star SMSS J200322.54−114203.3. We observe a large enhancement in r-process elements, with very low overall metallicity. The element abundance pattern is well matched by the yields of a single 25-solar-mass magnetorotational hypernova. Such a hypernova could produce not only the r-process elements, but also light elements during stellar evolution, and iron-peak elements during explosive nuclear burning. Hypernovae are often associated with long-duration γ-ray bursts in the nearby Universe⁸. This connection indicates that similar explosions of fast-spinning strongly magnetized stars occurred during the earliest epochs of star formation in our Galaxy.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	223-226
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nature
Volume	595
Issue number	7866
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03611-2
Publication status	Published - 8 Jul 2021

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10.1038/s41586-021-03611-2

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@article{f52d0da6768a4b3e8b1dded4937ce429,

title = "r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae",

abstract = "Neutron-star mergers were recently confirmed as sites of rapid-neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis1–3. However, in Galactic chemical evolution models, neutron-star mergers alone cannot reproduce the observed element abundance patterns of extremely metal-poor stars, which indicates the existence of other sites of r-process nucleosynthesis4–6. These sites may be investigated by studying the element abundance patterns of chemically primitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way, because these objects retain the nucleosynthetic signatures of the earliest generation of stars7–13. Here we report the element abundance pattern of the extremely metal-poor star SMSS J200322.54−114203.3. We observe a large enhancement in r-process elements, with very low overall metallicity. The element abundance pattern is well matched by the yields of a single 25-solar-mass magnetorotational hypernova. Such a hypernova could produce not only the r-process elements, but also light elements during stellar evolution, and iron-peak elements during explosive nuclear burning. Hypernovae are often associated with long-duration γ-ray bursts in the nearby Universe8. This connection indicates that similar explosions of fast-spinning strongly magnetized stars occurred during the earliest epochs of star formation in our Galaxy.",

author = "D. Yong and C. Kobayashi and {Da Costa}, {G. S.} and Bessell, {M. S.} and A. Chiti and A. Frebel and K. Lind and Mackey, {A. D.} and T. Nordlander and M. Asplund and Casey, {A. R.} and Marino, {A. F.} and Murphy, {S. J.} and Schmidt, {B. P.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5-m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, and is based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory under ESO programme DDT 2103.D-5062(A). This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. C.K. acknowledges funding from the UK Science and Technology Facility Council (STFC) through grant ST/M000958/1 and ST/ R000905/1, and the Stromlo Distinguished Visitor Program at ANU. K.L. acknowledges funds from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement number 852977). A.F.M. acknowledges support from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement number 797100. A.R.C. acknowledges Australian Research Council grant DE190100656. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1038/s41586-021-03611-2",

language = "English",

volume = "595",

pages = "223--226",

journal = "Nature",

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AU - Yong, D.

AU - Kobayashi, C.

AU - Da Costa, G. S.

AU - Bessell, M. S.

AU - Chiti, A.

AU - Frebel, A.

AU - Lind, K.

AU - Mackey, A. D.

AU - Nordlander, T.

AU - Asplund, M.

AU - Casey, A. R.

AU - Marino, A. F.

AU - Murphy, S. J.

AU - Schmidt, B. P.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5-m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, and is based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory under ESO programme DDT 2103.D-5062(A). This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. C.K. acknowledges funding from the UK Science and Technology Facility Council (STFC) through grant ST/M000958/1 and ST/ R000905/1, and the Stromlo Distinguished Visitor Program at ANU. K.L. acknowledges funds from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement number 852977). A.F.M. acknowledges support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement number 797100. A.R.C. acknowledges Australian Research Council grant DE190100656. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/7/8

Y1 - 2021/7/8

N2 - Neutron-star mergers were recently confirmed as sites of rapid-neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis1–3. However, in Galactic chemical evolution models, neutron-star mergers alone cannot reproduce the observed element abundance patterns of extremely metal-poor stars, which indicates the existence of other sites of r-process nucleosynthesis4–6. These sites may be investigated by studying the element abundance patterns of chemically primitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way, because these objects retain the nucleosynthetic signatures of the earliest generation of stars7–13. Here we report the element abundance pattern of the extremely metal-poor star SMSS J200322.54−114203.3. We observe a large enhancement in r-process elements, with very low overall metallicity. The element abundance pattern is well matched by the yields of a single 25-solar-mass magnetorotational hypernova. Such a hypernova could produce not only the r-process elements, but also light elements during stellar evolution, and iron-peak elements during explosive nuclear burning. Hypernovae are often associated with long-duration γ-ray bursts in the nearby Universe8. This connection indicates that similar explosions of fast-spinning strongly magnetized stars occurred during the earliest epochs of star formation in our Galaxy.

AB - Neutron-star mergers were recently confirmed as sites of rapid-neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis1–3. However, in Galactic chemical evolution models, neutron-star mergers alone cannot reproduce the observed element abundance patterns of extremely metal-poor stars, which indicates the existence of other sites of r-process nucleosynthesis4–6. These sites may be investigated by studying the element abundance patterns of chemically primitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way, because these objects retain the nucleosynthetic signatures of the earliest generation of stars7–13. Here we report the element abundance pattern of the extremely metal-poor star SMSS J200322.54−114203.3. We observe a large enhancement in r-process elements, with very low overall metallicity. The element abundance pattern is well matched by the yields of a single 25-solar-mass magnetorotational hypernova. Such a hypernova could produce not only the r-process elements, but also light elements during stellar evolution, and iron-peak elements during explosive nuclear burning. Hypernovae are often associated with long-duration γ-ray bursts in the nearby Universe8. This connection indicates that similar explosions of fast-spinning strongly magnetized stars occurred during the earliest epochs of star formation in our Galaxy.

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r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae

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The stars that should not exist

ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions

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r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae

Abstract

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The stars that should not exist

ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions

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