%0 Journal Article %1 roederer2023element %A Roederer, Ian U %A Vassh, Nicole %A Holmbeck, Erika M %A Mumpower, Matthew R %A Surman, Rebecca %A Cowan, John J %A Beers, Timothy C %A Ezzeddine, Rana %A Frebel, Anna %A Hansen, Terese T %A Placco, Vinicius M %A Sakari, Charli M %D 2023 %J Science %K astronomy element_abundance metalicity star_evolution %N 6675 %P 1177--1180 %R 10.1126/science.adf1341 %T Element abundance patterns in stars indicate fission of nuclei heavier than uranium %U https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf1341 %V 382 %X \textlesspThe heaviest chemical elements are naturally produced by the rapid neutron-capture process ( \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic-process) during neutron star mergers or supernovae. The \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic-process production of elements heavier than uranium (transuranic nuclei) is poorly understood and inaccessible to experiments so must be extrapolated by using nucleosynthesis models. We examined element abundances in a sample of stars that are enhanced in \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic-process elements. The abundances of elements ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and silver (atomic numbers \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic= 44 to 47; mass numbers \textlessitalic\textgreaterA\textless/italic= 99 to 110) correlate with those of heavier elements (63 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic≤ 78, \textlessitalic\textgreaterA\textless/italic150). There is no correlation for neighboring elements (34 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic≤ 42 and 48 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic≤ 62). We interpret this as evidence that fission fragments of transuranic nuclei contribute to the abundances. Our results indicate that neutron-rich nuclei with mass numbers \textgreater260 are produced in \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic-process events. \textless/p\textgreater

@article{roederer2023element, abstract = {\textlessp\textgreater The heaviest chemical elements are naturally produced by the rapid neutron-capture process ( \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic\textgreater -process) during neutron star mergers or supernovae. The \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic\textgreater -process production of elements heavier than uranium (transuranic nuclei) is poorly understood and inaccessible to experiments so must be extrapolated by using nucleosynthesis models. We examined element abundances in a sample of stars that are enhanced in \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic\textgreater -process elements. The abundances of elements ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and silver (atomic numbers \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic\textgreater = 44 to 47; mass numbers \textlessitalic\textgreaterA\textless/italic\textgreater = 99 to 110) correlate with those of heavier elements (63 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic\textgreater ≤ 78, \textlessitalic\textgreaterA\textless/italic\textgreater \textgreater 150). There is no correlation for neighboring elements (34 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic\textgreater ≤ 42 and 48 ≤ \textlessitalic\textgreaterZ\textless/italic\textgreater ≤ 62). We interpret this as evidence that fission fragments of transuranic nuclei contribute to the abundances. Our results indicate that neutron-rich nuclei with mass numbers \textgreater260 are produced in \textlessitalic\textgreaterr\textless/italic\textgreater -process events. \textless/p\textgreater}, added-at = {2025-07-09T21:34:37.000+0200}, author = {Roederer, Ian U and Vassh, Nicole and Holmbeck, Erika M and Mumpower, Matthew R and Surman, Rebecca and Cowan, John J and Beers, Timothy C and Ezzeddine, Rana and Frebel, Anna and Hansen, Terese T and Placco, Vinicius M and Sakari, Charli M}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2b81dafb88a701d877d65fa2d02c34943/archivum}, doi = {10.1126/science.adf1341}, file = {Submitted Version:/home/lmf/Zotero/storage/9TWZYRZC/Roederer et al. - 2023 - Element abundance patterns in stars indicate fissi.pdf:application/pdf}, interhash = {5c0031e0c0269ab3e2bd252a00f2a553}, intrahash = {b81dafb88a701d877d65fa2d02c34943}, journal = {Science}, keywords = {astronomy element_abundance metalicity star_evolution}, note = {Number: 6675}, number = 6675, pages = {1177--1180}, timestamp = {2025-07-10T17:41:12.000+0200}, title = {Element abundance patterns in stars indicate fission of nuclei heavier than uranium}, url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf1341}, volume = 382, year = 2023 }