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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
Published on: December 14, 2017
Consequences of nuclear electron capture in core collapse supernovae
W R Hix1, O E B Messer, A Mezzacappa
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1200, USA.
Abstract:
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.
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