Surrey University Scientists (United Kingdom) reacted reactions occurring during the outbreak of supernova, in laboratory conditions using an accelerated beam of radioactive isotopes. They first measured the cross section of the P-process – thermonuclear reaction, which occurs at the time of the explosion of a massive star. The article is published in the magazine Physical Review Letters.
at the P-process there are heavier atoms – the so-called P-cores, which are enriched with protons. Their origin is still not studied to the end, however, it is believed that the process of capturing protons occurs during the collapse of the star kernel, which is several times the massive sun. The p-core constitutes about one percent of heavy elements in the solar system, but it is impossible to observe directly in stars or supernova residues due to rarity.
The results of new experiments indicated an increase in the production of a specific P-nucleus – strontium-84 – during the so-called gamma process. The gamma process (not to be confused with the gamma process in mathematics) flows at temperatures of several billion Kelvinov, when the core photodepad (due to high-energy photons) occurs, and a small amount of R-nuclei is produced. The estimated occurrence of strontium-84 as a result of star explosions can explain the abundance of this element in some meteorites, for example, in Alende.